Attorney General Pam Bondi entered a pivotal legal battle over the Trump administration's deportation of Tren de Aragua gang members.
According to Fox News, the Department of Justice filed court documents Monday night asserting state secrets privilege to withhold specific details about recent deportation flights, citing potential risks to national security and foreign relations.
The legal dispute centers on the administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a rarely invoked law that has sparked intense debate over executive authority in immigration matters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have both submitted declarations supporting the administration's position that revealing operational details could harm U.S. interests.
The Justice Department's assertion of state secrets privilege comes in response to a court order from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who demanded detailed information about recent deportation flights. Attorney General Bondi's filing specifically addresses the judge's March 18 order requesting comprehensive flight data.
Bondi conveyed the administration's position through her court filing, emphasizing the gravity of maintaining operational secrecy. According to her submission to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia:
The Secretary of State and Secretary of Homeland Security have each submitted a declaration asserting a formal claim of state secrets privilege regarding disclosure of the information sought in the March 18, 2025 Minute Order. Those declarations reflect the studied and well-supported conclusion of each Secretary that disclosure of the information, even ex parte and in camera, would cause significant harm to the foreign relations and national security interests of the United States.
The Trump administration has mounted an aggressive defense of its deportation strategy, characterizing judicial intervention as an overreach into executive authority.
The case has drawn significant attention due to the administration's unprecedented application of the Alien Enemies Act, a law dating back to 1798 that has seen limited use throughout American history. The last notable implementation occurred during World War II, making its current application particularly controversial.
Judge Boasberg, who was appointed during the Obama administration, initially ordered an immediate halt to deportations of Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador. However, reports indicate that deportation flights continued despite the court order, intensifying the legal confrontation.
The administration's emergency appeal argues that the lower court's ruling represents an unauthorized restriction on executive power to remove dangerous individuals who pose threats to public safety.
The ongoing legal dispute has focused attention on the mechanics of the deportation operations. Judge Boasberg's fact-finding hearing on March 17 demanded specific details about flight operations, including departure locations, passenger counts, and landing sites.
Recent developments include the arrival of hundreds of migrants, including Venezuelan nationals, in El Salvador. These deportations have occurred under the contested implementation of the Alien Enemies Act.
The administration maintains that operational security necessitates discretion regarding the logistics of these deportations, particularly concerning members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
The Department of Justice's invocation of the state secrets privilege represents a significant escalation in the legal battle over President Trump's deportation strategy. The dispute centers on the administration's use of the historic Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals, particularly those identified as Tren de Aragua gang members, to El Salvador. As the case proceeds through the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the outcome will likely establish important precedents regarding executive authority in immigration enforcement and the scope of judicial oversight in deportation operations.
