Trump moves to block DOJ contempt testimony
Lawyers for the Trump administration asked the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to cancel or limit two witness examinations next week in Judge James Boasberg’s revived contempt inquiry into March deportation flights, arguing the court is intruding on executive authority and that testimony should be shielded by executive privilege. Boasberg ordered DOJ Deputy AAG Drew Ensign and former DOJ lawyer Erez Reuveni to testify about the decision to deport hundreds of Venezuelans to El Salvador despite a temporary restraining order; the case was remanded to Boasberg after a D.C. Circuit en banc ruling.
📌 Key Facts
- DOJ filings argue criminal contempt is a core executive power and seek to cancel or narrowly constrain testimony.
- Judge Boasberg scheduled testimony from Drew Ensign (Monday) and Erez Reuveni (Tuesday) regarding March Alien Enemies Act deportations.
- The contempt inquiry follows allegations the administration defied a 14‑day TRO blocking immediate deportations; the D.C. Circuit en banc revived the matter.
📊 Relevant Data
As of 2023, approximately 770,000 Venezuelan immigrants lived in the United States, accounting for slightly less than 2 percent of all 47.8 million foreign-born residents.
Venezuelan Immigrants in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
The Department of Homeland Security has identified more than 600 people in the United States who may have ties to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, out of an estimated Venezuelan immigrant population of over 700,000.
DHS is seeking more than 600 migrants for possible ties to Venezuelan gang — NBC News
In 2023, arrests of Venezuelan-born people by Chicago police increased by 2538 percent compared to 2022, rising from an unspecified low number to a higher figure amid an influx of migrants, while Venezuelans represent a small fraction of the city's population.
Arrests of Venezuelans has surged 2538% since Chicago's migrant crisis began — CWB Chicago
Venezuela had a rate of 26.8 violent deaths per 100,000 people in 2023, which is significantly higher than the U.S. homicide rate of about 6 per 100,000, contributing to migration from the country.
Donald Trump exaggerates Venezuelan crime drop and misleads about immigrant crime in the US — WLRN
The foreign-born population in the United States reached 53.3 million in January 2025, accounting for 15.8 percent of the total U.S. population, with recent immigration driving demographic changes including growth in the Hispanic population, of which Venezuelans are a part.
Foreign-Born Number and Share of U.S. Population at All-Time Highs in January 2025 — Center for Immigration Studies