Appeals Court Reins In Activist Judge Boasberg, Orders End to Criminal Contempt Probe of Trump Officials

WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court has ordered U.S. District Judge James Boasberg to immediately end his criminal contempt investigation targeting Trump administration officials, delivering yet another rebuke to the Obama-appointed judge’s repeated overreach.

The D.C. Circuit’s 2-1 ruling Tuesday halts Boasberg’s probe, which stemmed from his March 2025 temporary restraining order attempting to block the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport suspected members of the violent Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang. Officials proceeded with removals to protect American communities from these dangerous criminals.

Boasberg then launched the contempt inquiry and found probable cause against the officials. Higher courts, including the Supreme Court, vacated his underlying order on jurisdictional grounds, and the appeals court has already reversed his contempt efforts multiple times in 2025.

This latest decision marks another instance in a pattern where Boasberg’s activist rulings against the Trump administration have been overturned. The chief judge of the D.C. District Court has been assigned numerous high-profile cases challenging border security and immigration policies, drawing criticism for overstepping judicial bounds.

For public servants dedicated to securing the border and keeping families safe from gang violence, the ruling brings relief from unnecessary judicial interference in national security matters.