A Republican representative has introduced articles of impeachment against the federal judge.
U.S. District Judge James “Jeb” Boasberg, who last week ordered the Trump administration to pause deportations under the Alien Enemies Act—including flights carrying alleged gang members to El Salvador—is now facing growing calls for impeachment from Republican lawmakers. But how does the judicial impeachment process work?Why It Matters
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump called for the impeachment of Boasberg, calling him a “Radical Left Lunatic.” Boasberg was first named to D.C. local courts as a judge by Republican President George W. Bush and later elevated to the federal district court by Democratic President Barack Obama.
The administration’s push back on Boasberg’s court order, as expressed in court filings and press briefings, has inflamed Republican’s push for the judge’s removal, with Representative Brandon Gill of Texas formally filing articles of impeachment.
Conservative Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts intervened against the backlash targeting Boasberg, stating, “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision”, emphasizing that “the normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.”
Some Democrats and Trump critics warn that the president is steering the country toward a constitutional crisis by attempting to expand executive power at the expense of Congress and the judiciary.What To Know
Last Saturday, Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, granting the president authority to deport non-citizens without appearing before a judge, among other wartime authorities. Shortly after its invocation, Trump moved to deport around 250 people to El Salvador which Boasberg ordered to temporarily halt.
The following morning, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that alleged members of the MS-13 and Tren de Aragua gangs had arrived in El Salvador from the U.
