Trump's border czar: "I don't care what the judges think"
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Trump border czar Tom Homan on March 12 in Albany, New York. Photo: Will Waldron/Albany Times Union via Getty Images
President Trump's border czar Tom Homan on Monday doubled down on the decision to defy a court order that barred the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members.
Why it matters: The White House's decision to disregard a federal judge's order has set up a legal battle that could make its way to the Supreme Court and define the limits of Trump's deportation powers.
Driving the news: Homan claimed in a Fox News interview Monday that the two deportation flights to El Salvador did not need to be turned around because they were already above international waters when the order came through.
- "We are going to make this country safe again ... I'm proud to be a part of this administration. We are not stopping. I don't care what the judges think. I don't care what the Left thinks. We're coming," he added.
- Asked what was coming next in the administration's deportation efforts, Homan said: "Another flight. Another flight every day."
Catch up quick: By going through with the flights, the White House effectively ignored U.S. District Judge James Boasberg's Saturday order barring the deportation of about 250 Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act of 1789.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement the judge's order had "no lawful basis" and "was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory."
- It's not clear how many of the immigrants were deported under the 18th century law or other immigration statutes. It's likewise unclear what process was used to determine whether all the people on the flights were members of the Tren de Aragua gang, as the administration claimed.
State of play: Asked about Homan's comments during Monday's White House press briefing, Leavitt said the "administration is complying with the court order" and that all flights that were "subject to the judge's written order departed before the written order."
- The administration is "encouraging illegal immigrants to actively self-deport," she added.
Zoom out: Homan confirmed to Fox News that the administration's decision came after Trump signed an executive order Saturday invoking the Alien Enemies Act for the first time since World War II.
- The act allows the government to detain and remove immigrants with little to no due process. It was most famously used during World War II to help justify Japanese internment.
- Homan called Trump's use of the law a "game-changer."
Go deeper: Exclusive: How the White House ignored a judge's order to turn back deportation flights
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional comments from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
