Chief Justice John Roberts issued a statement criticizing President Trump’s call to impeach a federal judge halting the deportation of Venezuelan gang members.
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision,” Roberts said. “The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.”
The statement comes as Trump condemned U.S. District Judge James Boasberg for issuing a block on his efforts to deport members of a Venezuelan gang upon invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
“This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!! WE DON’T WANT VICIOUS, VIOLENT, AND DEMENTED CRIMINALS, MANY OF THEM DERANGED MURDERERS, IN OUR COUNTRY. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The Trump administration defended its decision to move forward with the deportations in Tuesday court filings.
“On March 15, 2025, after the Proclamation was publicly posted and took effect, three planes carrying aliens departed the United States for El Salvador International Airport (SAL). Two of those planes departed U.S. territory and airspace before 7:25 PM EDT,” the filing says. “The third plane departed after that time, but all individuals on that third plane had Title 8 final removal orders and thus were not removed solely on the basis of the Proclamation at issue. To avoid any doubt, no one on any flight departing the United States after 7:25 PM EDT on March 15, 2025, was removed solely on the basis of the Proclamation at issue.”
The document stated that ICE “carefully tracks” the Venezuelan gang members who are “amenable to removal proceedings.”
