We'll see if contempt proceedings are next for Kristi Noem after this admission. Noem was asked about a filing in federal court this week saying she was the one responsible for defying Judge James Boasberg's order back in March to stop sending detained migrants to a mega prison in El Salvador.
After some hemming and hawing Noem finally admitted that yes, she was the one who gave the order and defended it:
KRISTEN WELKER: Secretary Noem, let me turn to my final topic. In a filing in federal court this week, the Justice Department said that when the administration was ordered back in March to stop sending detained migrants to a mega prison in El Salvador, you personally made the final call to continue the flights anyway. Is that correct? Do you acknowledge that?
SEC. KRISTI NOEM: You know, we have court filings that are going on and decisions that are going forward. I'll let them continue to play through that process –
KRISTEN WELKER: But did you make that call?
SEC. KRISTI NOEM: – but I'm proud of President Trump, and his leadership, and the decisions that we have made. And the decisions that are made on deportations, where flights go, and when they go are my decision at the Department of Homeland Security. And we will continue to do the right thing and ensure that dangerous criminals are removed.
KRISTEN WELKER: So you're saying that it was your decision, it sounds like. The judge wanted to ensure that people were given due process. He said very clearly, "Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States. But those people need to be returned to the United States. However that's accomplished, I leave to you. But this is something that you need to make sure is complied with immediately." Did you defy the court's order, Madam Secretary?
SEC. KRISTI NOEM: No, Kristen. And that's one of the things that we continue to face across this country, is activist judges who are using radical decisions that have no standing and no grounds, to try to stop what President Trump is doing to protect America and to keep us safe. So we'll continue to do the right thing, continue to work and protect Americans, no matter what radical judge comes out and tries to stop us. We'll do the right thing and know that we're on the side of the law, the side of the Constitution, and the side of the American people.
She sounds just like Trump, attacking the judges they don't like and pretending they can just ignore rulings they don't agree with.
Here's more from The Hill:
The Justice Department (DOJ) last week indicated in court filings that Noem directed officials to continue deportations to a Salvadoran megaprison amid an ongoing review of whether the Trump administration could be held in contempt after defying a judge’s oral order seeking the return of over 100 Venezuelan detainees to the U.S.
This spring, President Trump signed an executive order allowing the deportation of Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act (AEA), moving to speed up his efforts to carry out the greatest deportation effort in U.S. history.
The administration has argued it was not obligated to follow the March directive from District Judge James Boasberg. [...]
Boasberg previously found probable cause to start contempt proceedings over the administration’s deportations, an action that was paused for months until an appeals court last week cleared the way for him to charge forward.
The initial case, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, challenging Trump’s AEA remains under Boasberg’s review.
She should be impeached immediately. Republicans and Democrats alike should not tolerate open defiance of a court order.
