A federal appellate court declinedto issue a stay on a lower court’s orders in a suit challenging the Trump administration‘s authority to deport Venezuelan nationals via a 1798 wartime law.
In a 2-1 decision Wednesday, a three-judge panel sided with the plaintiffs in the suit, further blocking the Trump administration’s ability to move forward with its deportation agenda.
Judges Karen Henderson, Patricia Millett, and Justin Walker of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals presided over Monday’s oral arguments, which they agreed to hear last week on an expedited basis.
In a concurring opinion of the ruling, Henderson, a Bush appointee, said: “At this early stage, the government has yet to show a likelihood of success on the merits. The equities favor the plaintiffs. And the district court entered the TROs for a quintessentially valid purpose: to protect its remedial authority long enough to consider the parties’ arguments.
“Accordingly, and for the foregoing reasons, the request to stay the district court’s TROs should be denied.”
Their decision could ultimately be kicked to the Supreme Court for further review.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
By United States Government - https://x.com/PressSec/status/1882759560613527770, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=159931598
The Trump administration has reportedly deported a planeload of more than 100 Iranians under a deal struck with the Iranian government.
Iranian officials confirmed to The New York Times that the planeload of migrants took off from Louisiana on Monday night and was expected to arrive in Iran via Qatar on Tuesday. A U.S. official also reportedly confirmed the plan to the outlet.
Monday’s round of deportations is the first step in a larger plan to deport approximately 400 Iranian nationals.
“The Trump Administration is committed to fulfilling President Trump’s promise to carry out the largest mass deportation operation of illegal aliens in history, using all the tools at our disposal,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News on Tuesday.
The deal marks a rare instance of cooperation between Tehran and the US, which saw heightened tensions in the wake of this summer’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Iranian officials told The Times that the deportation deal came about after months of discussions between the two nations.
The identities of the Iranian deportees are unknown, but The Times reported that the group included men and women, some of whom were couples. The outlet also noted, citing Iranian officials, that some of the deportees volunteered to leave the U.S. after spending time in detention centers, while others were not going voluntarily.
Iranian officials also told The Times that in almost every case, the deportees either had asylum requests denied or had yet to appear before a judge for a hearing on their requests.
“We have urged the American government to respect the rights of Iranian migrants and their citizenship rights under international law. They must not be denied consular services, fair judicial process, or the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” Noushabadi told Tasnim news agency.
Another official told the news agency that the individuals being deported had left Iran legally, but how they entered the U.S. was “another matter.” For decades, the U.S. had granted refuge to Iranians fleeing political repression due to the regime’s reputation for brutal human rights abuses.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump called for the impeachment of a judge in a Truth Social post, referring to U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg who recently sought to block deportation flights to El Salvador.
“This Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge, a troublemaker and agitator who was sadly appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, was not elected President – He didn’t WIN the popular VOTE (by a lot!), he didn’t WIN ALL SEVEN SWING STATES, he didn’t WIN 2,750 to 525 Counties, HE DIDN’T WIN ANYTHING! I WON FOR MANY REASONS, IN AN OVERWHELMING MANDATE, BUT FIGHTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION MAY HAVE BEEN THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR THIS HISTORIC VICTORY,” Trump declared in the post.
“I’m just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do. 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!!!” the president added.
Over the weekend, Republican Rep. Brandon Gill (Texas) said he would be pushing to impeach the federal judge who ordered the Trump administration to halt deportations of Venezuelan gang members.
“I’ll be filing Articles of Impeachment against activist judge James Boasberg this week,” Gill wrote in a post on X.
I’ll be filing Articles of Impeachment against activist judge James Boasberg this week. pic.twitter.com/kh4vfooS2A
— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) March 16, 2025
On Saturday, President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The order was intended to target members of the Tren de Aragua gang, who Trump said could be arrested, restrained and removed from the country. The moment marked only the third time the wartime act has been used and the first time since World War II.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg had earlier ordered a temporary block on the deportation of five of the group’s members, which prompted Trump to issue the proclamation.
The editorial board of The New York Post also hammered billionaire Elon Musk for calling to impeach Judge Boasberg, calling the move “way out of line.”
“Elon Musk is way out of his lane in cheering a bid to impeach federal Judge James Boasberg, who’s put a temporary hold on deportation flights of illegal migrant gangbangers,” the editorial board wrote in their Sunday piece, which was highlighted by Mediaite.
“We like the idea of the flights: The brutes of Tren de Aragua and MS-13 have had it too easy for far too long, and current efforts to get tough are a necessary correction to Biden-era denial,” they added
“The case seems destined to go all the way to the Supreme Court. Can the feds simply declare anyone a TdA member before putting them on a plane off to an El Salvadoran prison?” the Post editorial board questioned in their piece.
“Which makes it just plain silly for Musk to tweet ‘necessary’ of a Texas rep’s plan to file to impeach the judge: It’s nothing of the kind, and cheering it only makes Musk look reckless — a reputation he doesn’t need when many DOGE actions also face court challenge,” they added.
By U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - https://www.ice.gov/about-ice/ero, Public Domain,
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Soros-backed progressive prosecutor, is facing mounting bipartisan criticism after making fiery remarks comparing federal immigration agents to Nazis and suggesting they should be “hunted down.”
Speaking last week, Krasner denounced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as “a small bunch of wannabe Nazis,” adding, “If we have to hunt you down the way they hunted down Nazis for decades, we will find your identities.”
The comments prompted swift backlash from Republicans, with Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) a member of the House Intelligence Committee, urging the Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation.
Steube cited federal statutes that make threatening a federal law enforcement officer a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
“The DOJ should absolutely arrest and convict this guy,” Steube said.
Krasner has a history of antagonism toward federal immigration enforcement. He previously claimed he would seek to arrest and prosecute federal agents who “come to Philly to commit crimes,” an apparent reference to controversial law enforcement actions during a Minnesota operation in which a woman was shot after allegedly attempting to ram officers with her vehicle.
In the speech that drew Steube’s condemnation, Krasner boasted that the 350 million Americans living in the United States vastly outnumber ICE agents, and he floated the idea of coordinating with prosecutors in other states to pursue them criminally after President Donald Trump’s term ends.
Even prominent Democrats distanced themselves from Krasner’s rhetoric. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro called the remarks “unacceptable… abhorrent and it is wrong; period; hard-stop; end of sentence.”
Republicans were far less restrained.
“We have a psychopath with a badge,” Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa) said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Meuser blasted Krasner for what he described as chronic failures to prosecute violent crime, pointing to reports that the district attorney’s office prosecutes only about 30% of violent crime arrests.
“Every responsible Democrat must condemn this behavior,” Meuser said. “Failure to do so only increases the temperature in an already volatile situation, endangering federal law enforcement and communities alike.”
Meuser also accused Senate Democrats of borrowing Krasner’s “reckless political playbook” by using Department of Homeland Security funding as leverage in government shutdown negotiations.
Critics have long dubbed Krasner “Let ’Em Go Larry” for his lenient prosecution policies—an approach Meuser contrasted sharply with Krasner’s aggressive posture toward federal immigration officers.
Meuser has authored the Holding Prosecutors Accountable Act, legislation that would strip Justice Department grant eligibility from district attorney offices that fail to prosecute at least two-thirds of arrests.
The Department of Homeland Security weighed in as well. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called Krasner’s comments “vile,” accusing him of encouraging violence and doxing of law enforcement officers.
“He is intentionally stoking the flames of hatred and division in this country for political gain,” McLaughlin said, citing a reported 1,300% increase in assaults against ICE agents. “The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must stop.”
McLaughlin argued that Krasner should instead be thanking ICE for removing dangerous criminals from the Philadelphia region, including Yehi Badawi of Egypt, convicted of aggravated assault and robbery; Cuban national Alan De Armas-Tundidor, a convicted drug trafficker; and Thanh Long Huynh of Vietnam, convicted of rape and cocaine distribution.
Other Pennsylvania Republicans emphasized that Krasner’s threats are legally hollow.
State Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Gettysburg) who taught constitutional law at the U.S. Army War College, noted that the federal supremacy clause would override any attempt by Philadelphia officials to interfere with lawful federal immigration enforcement.
“The Constitution is not optional,” Mastriano said bluntly.
State Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-Allentown) chairman of the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee, echoed that warning, calling claims that city officials can block ICE “empty threats.”
“If they do obstruct federal law enforcement efforts, the Pennsylvania Senate will be the least of their worries,” Coleman said, adding that if Krasner focused more on prosecuting violent offenders, “Philadelphia wouldn’t be such a s—hole.”
As criticism intensifies, Krasner’s remarks have reignited a broader debate over progressive prosecutors, public safety, and the limits of local resistance to federal law enforcement—one that now may draw scrutiny from the Justice Department itself.
A Canadian woman who admitted slapping a teenage girl during a confrontation over patriotic clothing at the Jersey Shore has been ordered deported after pleading guilty to a reduced assault charge.
Kaitlyn Tracey, 33, had overstayed her visa and was living in the United States illegally when the July 3 clash erupted on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk.
An immigration judge in Texas ordered Tracey removed from the country Tuesday, shortly before she entered a guilty plea in the New Jersey criminal case.
Tracey appeared by phone from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Texas for the proceeding in Ocean County.
🚨 NEW: A Texas immigration judge has ordered 33-year-old Canadian national Kaitlyn Tracey deported after she pleaded guilty to assaulting a teenage girl wearing patriotic clothing on a New Jersey boardwalk. 👏🏾
Under a plea agreement, Tracey pleaded guilty to one count of simple assault.
Prosecutors dismissed the remaining charges, which included endangering the welfare of a child, harassment and obstruction.
Tracey received a one-day jail sentence with credit for time served. She had already spent several weeks in the Ocean County Jail before being transferred to federal immigration custody.
The criminal case may be over, but its consequences are not. Tracey now faces removal to Canada and is expected to be barred from legally returning to the United States for an extended period.
Patriotic Shirt Sparked Boardwalk Confrontation
The altercation unfolded on the evening of July 3, when Tracey approached a group of four teenagers at Point Pleasant Beach.
Authorities said the dispute escalated after she confronted one of the teens, who was wearing a “USA 250” tank top marking America’s approaching 250th anniversary.
Video that quickly spread across social media appeared to show Tracey slapping the girl across the face during the argument.
The footage drew national attention and prompted action from local police and federal immigration authorities.
After Tracey’s arrest, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that she had remained in the country after her visa expired. The agency later dubbed her the “Maple Leaf Menace” in public statements.
Defense Calls Clash “Unfortunate”
Defense attorney Francis Hodgson told the court that Tracey had otherwise been a productive, law-abiding resident.
“She arrived here on a passport some years ago. She met her husband and didn’t leave, but while she was here, she maintained employment and was a productive member of society,” Hodgson said.
He called the confrontation “unfortunate” and said Tracey had accepted responsibility for her actions.
“[Tracey has] taken responsibility for her role in it, and this is a reasonable judgment … consistent with other similar-type matters that happen every day during the summer on this boardwalk,” Hodgson told the court.
Victim’s Family: “Thank Goodness For Cameras”
Prosecutors said the victim’s family supported the plea agreement.
The teen’s parent attended the hearing remotely but did not speak publicly. Judge Guy P. Ryan instead read portions of the family’s victim impact statement into the record.
“The parents recite that, ‘Thank goodness for cameras and cell phones to have documented this incident,’” Ryan said.
The judge said the family came from an immigrant background and described themselves as proud Americans who had been celebrating Independence Day when the confrontation occurred.
“The notoriety and publicity of this matter has indicated that they’re proud of their country, love their country, they have core values and refer to the history of their family,” Ryan said.
He added that the victim and her parents “look forward to justice being served” and were grateful to the agencies involved in the case.
Deportation Now Looms
Following her arrest, Tracey was initially held at the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility in Newark. She was later transferred to an ICE processing center in Laredo, Texas, as her immigration proceedings continued.
Officials have not announced when she will be removed to Canada.
Ryan said during sentencing that the deportation order is expected to prevent Tracey from legally returning to the United States for “a very long time.”
Husband’s Anti-Trump Posts Resurface
The case has also brought new scrutiny to Tracey’s husband, Matt Geroni, who did not attend Tuesday’s hearing.
Geroni previously posted TikTok videos criticizing conditions at Delaney Hall and asking supporters to help secure his wife’s release, even if that meant her deportation to Canada.
His own social media history later became part of the controversy. Resurfaced posts appeared to show Geroni wishing death on President Donald Trump and members of Trump’s family.
In one post, Geroni wrote that he was “praying the entire Trump family gets cancer,” including the president’s children. After an attempted assassination of Trump, he wrote in another post: “Praying the next assassination attempt works.”
By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requested a two-hour meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office late Monday as the administration faced intensifying backlash over a deadly shooting in Minneapolis involving federal immigration agents.
The meeting came after President Trump announced that longtime border enforcement official Tom Homan would travel to Minneapolis to take charge of Department of Homeland Security efforts following the death of protester Alex Pretti during a confrontation with Border Patrol agents, according to the New York Times.
The closed-door discussion, which included several of the president’s top aides, reflected the administration’s effort to recalibrate its response as tensions mounted across the city and criticism grew over how the incident was initially described.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem receives a tour of the Terrorist Confinement Center CECOT with the Minister of Justice and Public Security Gustavo Villatoro in Tecoluca, El Salvador, March 26, 2025. (DHS photo by Tia Dufour)
Noem came under fire after she labeled Pretti a “domestic terrorist,” saying he had charged officers while brandishing a gun. However, multiple videos circulating online showed the ICU nurse holding a cellphone and attempting to flee from agents at the time of the encounter.
The administration has since faced pressure to clarify its messaging, particularly as images and video from the scene fueled protests and intensified scrutiny of federal enforcement tactics in Democrat-run cities already resistant to immigration crackdowns.
Earlier Monday, Trump said he was sending Homan — a well-known hardliner on border enforcement — to oversee the situation on the ground. The move sparked questions about whether the president was dissatisfied with Noem’s handling of the fallout.
Mainstream media stunned into silence after @PressSec reminds them that Barack Obama awarded a medal to Tom Homan. pic.twitter.com/x31gP7osG3
Despite the speculation, Trump did not indicate that Noem’s job was in jeopardy during the meeting, sources told the outlet.
Separately, Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino and some of his agents were ordered Monday to begin pulling back from Minnesota, according to sources.
Bovino, like Noem, drew criticism for his initial assessment of the incident. He had said Pretti was brandishing a firearm and “wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement,” a claim later challenged by video evidence.
Amid reports suggesting internal consequences, the Trump administration pushed back against claims that Bovino had been demoted.
“Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote on X. She added that Bovino remains a “key part of the president’s team and a great American.”
🚨 BREAKING: Border Czar Tom Homan will be MANAGING ICE OPERATIONS directly on the ground in Minnesota, and reporting directly to President Trump
Homan will also coordinate the FRAUD investigations, per Karoline Leavitt
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has opened “Deportation Depot” migrant detention center in Florida, a follow-up to the embattled “Alligator Alcatraz.”
“Deportation Depot” is located about 45 miles away from Jacksonville in the community of Sanderson, at the site of the Baker Correctional Institution.
The facility has the capacity for 1,500 detainees, Fox News reported. As of Friday, a little over 100 migrants had been moved there.
DeSantis said last month that he moved to begin work on a new facility to fulfill an urgent need for more shelter for illegal migrants as they’re rounded up by ICE agents throughout the state.
“There is a demand for this,” DeSantis told reporters at the time. “I’m confident that it will be filled.”
The opening of the new facility came a day after the $250 million “Alligator Alcatraz” was granted a rare win by an appeals court.
The detention center was ordered to ship out all detainees and close within 60 days. The ruling by Judge Kathleen M. Williams stemmed from a lawsuit filed by the Friends of the Everglades and the Miccosukee Tribe that accused the Sunshine State of violating the National Environmental Policy Act.
A stay on Williams’ ruling was granted by a three-judge panel in Atlanta on Thursday, pending an appeal. “Alligator Alcatraz” can continue holding detainees for now.
In a video posted on his X account Thursday, DeSantis declared: “The mission continues on immigration enforcement.”
The Trump administration has closed fiscal year 2025 with a historic milestone on border security — the lowest U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions in more than five decades, according to preliminary enforcement data released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Border agents recorded 237,565 apprehensions in fiscal year 2025 — slightly above the 201,780 apprehensions in 1970 but dramatically below recent levels. The numbers represent an 87% drop compared to the average of the past four fiscal years (1.86 million apprehensions) and showcase what can happen when the federal government finally enforces immigration laws.
This achievement came even though 72% of this year’s total apprehensions happened during the final 111 days of the Biden administration — before President Trump returned to office and immediately began reversing his predecessor’s “open-border” policies.
“Fiscal year 2025 shows what happens when we enforce the law without compromise,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott. “For too long, agents and officers were handcuffed by failed policies. Today they are empowered to do their jobs — and the result is the most secure border in modern history.”
Reversing Biden’s Border Chaos
When President Trump took office in January 2025, he inherited what many described as a border crisis fueled by Biden’s mass-release policies. In just the first 111 days of the fiscal year, under Biden’s watch, 172,026 apprehensions occurred — nearly three-quarters of the year’s total.
But once Trump’s immigration directives took effect, the situation changed dramatically. Over the next 254 days, apprehensions plummeted to 65,539 — just 27% of the fiscal year’s total.
September 2025 alone saw only about 279 apprehensions per day along the Southwest border — a staggering 95% decline compared to the Biden-era daily average of 5,110. It also marked the fifth consecutive month of zero illegal immigrant releases by Border Patrol — a stark contrast to 9,144 releases in September 2024.
Across all entry points, CBP recorded roughly 26,000 total encounters in September, down 89% from Biden’s monthly averages.
Strong Action From Day One
President Trump wasted no time taking decisive action to reestablish border control:
Deployed additional personnel to the southern border.
Ended “catch-and-release”, ensuring illegal migrants are no longer released while awaiting hearings.
Shut down Biden’s CBP One app parole loophole, later repurposing the app to help migrants self-deport.
Paused parole programs and authorized ICE to cancel parole statuses.
Ordered strict enforcement of existing immigration laws, restoring morale and authority to frontline border agents.
These policies stand in sharp contrast to Biden’s approach, which relied on controversial “parole” programs and insisted on new legislation instead of acting on existing laws.
A federal court on Sunday issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from sending three Venezuelan immigrants held in New Mexico to the Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, detention camp.
Lawyers for the trio said in a legal filing that the detainees “fit the profile of those the administration has prioritized for detention in Guantánamo, i.e. Venezuelan men detained in the El Paso area with (false) charges of connections with the Tren de Aragua gang.”
In the filing, the lawyers asked a U.S. District Court in New Mexico for a temporary restraining order to block the administration from flying them to the U.S. military base. The lawyers noted that “the mere uncertainty the government has created surrounding the availability of legal process and counsel access is sufficient to authorize the modest injunction.”
The filing came as part of a lawsuit on behalf of the three men filed by the Center for Constitutional Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico and Las Americas Immigrant Advisory Center.
Judge Kenneth J. Gonzales granted the temporary restraining order, according to attorney Jessica Vosburgh, who represents the three men.
“It’s short term. This will get revisited and further fleshed out in the weeks to come,” Vosburgh told The Associated Press.
Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt separately said that flights carrying detained illegal immigrants had been sent to Guantánamo.
Immigrant rights groups sent a letter on Friday demanding access to people who are now being held at the U.S. naval station, arguing that the base should not be used as a “legal black hole.” Guantánamo has been criticized around the world for its inhumane abuse and torture of detainees, including interrogation tactics.
The immigrants are being held in the Guantánamo detention camp that was set up for detainees in the aftermath of 9/11. The immigrants are separated from the 15 detainees who were already there, including planners in the 2001 terrorist attack.
Trump has promised to expand the detention camp to hold up to 30,000 “criminal illegal aliens.”
Border patrol agents at the Texas-Mexico border made two interesting finds while searching vehicles last weekend, resulting in the arrests of three people in two separate incidents.
According to Fox News, a 20-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, both U.S. citizens, were crossing into the United States through the Anzalduas International Bridge when their vehicle was flagged by CBP agents for a second inspection on Sunday.
Upon investigation, officials discovered a spider monkey stowed inside a backpack in the vehicle. The two individuals were taken into custody and the monkey was transported to Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora protects certain types of monkeys and their importation is regulated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to CBP officials. However, monkeys are not permitted to be imported as pets.
On the same day, CPB agents at the Hidalgo International Bridge stopped a 68-year-old Mexican citizen crossing into the U.S. for a second inspection.
Agents discovered approximately 73 pounds of alleged cocaine stashed inside the man’s Ford Explorer. Authorities estimate the alleged narcotics have a street value of approximately $980,000.
Breaking: 🚨 Texas border patrol found another spider monkey trying to be smuggled into America over the weekend!
And with the MAHA news: 🚨 $980K in cocaine was intercepted at the Texas-Mexico border over the weekend!
The man was taken into custody by Homeland Security and the cocaine was seized by CBP.
The suspects identities have not yet been released by officials.
“Our frontline CBP officers and agriculture specialists continue to remain vigilant as they conduct their inspections; their attention to detail and inspections experience led to an interception of an endangered species and a significant narcotics seizure in two separate enforcement events,” Hidalgo Port Director Carlos Rodriguez said in a statement. “We remain committed to preventing the exploitation of protected animals and the spread of animal diseases. Seizures of narcotics also reinforce our continued commitment to our border security mission.”
