Topline
President Donald Trump used a celebratory Easter message posted Sunday to attack judges who have ruled against his administration’s sweeping immigration actions, which have included the erroneous deportation of a Maryland man and deportations made under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
Trump posted the comments on Truth Social. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Key Facts
Trump, in what has become a hallmark of his holiday messaging, wished a happy Easter to “Radical Left Lunatics” trying to bring “Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country,” seemingly using at least part of the post to refer to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador last month.
Trump also blasted “WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials” who have recently made rulings opposing his administration’s immigration actions.
The comments come days after the Supreme Court temporarily blocked the government from deporting more Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act, a law that gives presidents the power during wartime to detain immigrants from countries the U.S. is at war with or immigrants linked to “any invasion or predatory incursion” against the U.S. by any foreign government.
Trump’s attack also follows decisions from the Supreme Court, Maryland District Court Judge Paula Xinis and the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issuing or supporting an order for the Trump administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return to the U.S. after his mistaken deportation in March.
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Key Background
The Trump administration has contested rulings by the Supreme Court and Xinis asking it to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return, insisting it does not have the authority to bring him back from a foreign country. The administration has also alleged Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 member, in an attempt to justify his deportation, which White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said was done because of a “clerical error,” supporting a sworn declaration made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Field Office Director Robert Cerna, who said last month the removal of Abrego Garcia was an “error” and “an oversight.” Abrego Garcia was deported while holding a withholding of removal status, a temporary deportation protection allowing him to live and work in the U.S. Xinis, with the backing of the Supreme Court, has ordered the Trump administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return and blasted its allegation claiming Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 member. Xinis has said the allegation is backed by a “vague, uncorroborated allegation” and encouraged the Trump administration to prove the allegation in a court of law. The Supreme Court’s ruling against the government’s deportation of Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act comes after it conducted flights sending over 200 Venezuelans to El Salvador. The deportations were initially challenged by U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg, who argued the deportation flights likely violated the due process rights of migrants.
Further Reading
Sen. Van Hollen Says Trump Administration Made $15 Million Deal With El Salvador To Imprison Deportees Including Abrego Garcia (Forbes)
Sen. Van Hollen Meets Kilmar Abrego Garcia In El Salvador (Forbes)
Trump Administration Says It Will Simply Re-Deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia If He Is Brought Back To U.S. (Forbes)
