Attorney General Pam Bondi has taken decisive action, filing an emergency motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. She is determined to halt what she considers an overreach by Obama-appointed District Judge James E. “Jeb” Boasberg. Bondi’s motion calls for an immediate stay on a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued by Boasberg, which she argues impedes the Trump administration’s national security objectives.
The motion, submitted at the break of dawn on Saturday, accuses Judge Boasberg of overstepping his bounds by issuing an unauthorized TRO. This order effectively prevents the deportation of illegal aliens linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
The document claims Boasberg acted beyond his jurisdiction, lacking evidence and proceeding without government consultation—issuing the 14-day TRO just hours after five anonymous Venezuelan plaintiffs initiated a class-action lawsuit.
These plaintiffs, held in Texas, express concern over being unjustly targeted in President Trump’s alleged plan to utilize the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to expel TdA members.
Their lawsuit, J.G.G. v. Trump, challenges the Trump administration’s proper execution of immigration laws, arguing that invoking the Alien Enemies Act—a wartime protocol for deporting hostile foreign nationals—is “unprecedented” and “unlawful” in current “peacetime.”
According to the government, Tren de Aragua is a transnational syndicate with strong connections to Venezuela’s socialist government, functioning as a paramilitary force conducting criminal activities across the nation.
Gang members are implicated in violent crimes, human trafficking, and drug smuggling, prompting the Trump administration to invoke the AEA to expedite their deportation.
The Maduro regime coordinates with and relies on TdA to “sow violence and discord throughout the United States,” including through gang-related crimes and violent attacks such as the murder of Laken Riley in Georgia in February 2024.
The motion highlights TdA’s integration with Venezuela’s government, acting as an extension of the Maduro regime. Due to this relationship, TdA can be considered a part of Venezuela, justifying the application of Section 21.
TdA also operates as a de facto government in its territories. The Maduro regime, closely linked to narco-terrorism, seeks to destabilize the U.S. through drug trafficking, using cocaine as a weapon.
In its operational areas, TdA acts as a criminal state, replacing normal civil governance. Given its organizational structure and control over parts of Venezuela, it’s within presidential discretion to recognize it as a foreign “government” under Section 21.
Moreover, TdA is clearly involved in an invasion or predatory incursion into the U.S. Although “invasion” typically refers to a military entry, its definition extends beyond that scope.
Read the full filing: View Fullscreen
