Appeals court shuts down criminal contempt probe over deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants

Key Points:

• The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has halted criminal contempt proceedings against Trump administration officials accused of defying a court order to stop deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador.
• The legal battle stems from President Trump's 2025 invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to deport over 200 Venezuelans suspected of gang ties, though many lacked criminal records according to investigations.
• The appeals court majority ruled that the contempt inquiry infringed on executive branch autonomy and raised separation of powers concerns, as it involved national security and foreign policy decisions.
• Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche praised the ruling as an end to what he called a prolonged campaign against immigration officials, while the ACLU criticized it as undermining the rule of law.
• The case remains contentious, with lower courts previously blocking the deportations and ongoing investigations into the Trump administration's actions, including efforts to compel testimony from government officials.