Tuesday Briefing

President Trump’s administration has come close to open defiance of the federal judiciary.Credit…Doug Mills/The New York Times

Fears of a U.S. constitutional crisis

The Trump administration yesterday stonewalled a federal judge seeking answers about whether it had violated his order by deporting more than 200 Venezuelans over the weekend. The hearing in Washington escalated a conflict that threatened to become a constitutional crisis.

A Justice Department lawyer refused to answer any detailed questions from the judge about the deportation flights to El Salvador, arguing that President Trump had broad authority to remove immigrants from the United States with little to no due process under an obscure wartime law, the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

The judge, James Boasberg, told the lawyer, Abhishek Kambli, to certify in writing by noon today — under seal, if necessary — that no immigrants had been deported after his written order took effect.

Context: The legal battle was the latest and perhaps most serious flashpoint yet between federal courts, which have sought to curb many of Trump’s executive actions, and an administration that has repeatedly come close to openly refusing to comply with judicial orders.

Comments: Trump’s so-called border czar, Tom Homan, indicated yesterday that the administration planned to continue its deportations. “We’re not stopping,” Homan said in an interview. “I don’t care what the judges think — I don’t care what the left thinks.”

More on the Trump administration

• American automakers thought Trump’s tariffs were a negotiating tactic. But he sees them as an end in themselves.

• Do Americans approve of Trump? We’re tracking recent polls.

• Trump said his administration would release about 80,000 pages of documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

• Trump falsely claimed that former President Joe Biden’s pardons were “void” because he used an autopen.

• Track Trump’s actions since he took office.