Margot Cleveland Profile picture
Senior Legal Correspondent @FDRLST, Of Counsel @NCLALegal, ~25 yrs 7thCir law clerk, former full-time univ. faculty, Catholic conservative, wife to DH/mom to DS

Mar 17, 2025, 15 tweets

🔥Trump Administration files response to Venezuela terrorists filing earlier today asking for details on flight. 1/

3/ WHOA!

3/ DOJ's position is oral ruling was NOT a governing injunction. Cites case law. Also, DOJ acknowledges oral order was broader than minute order and says minute order controls.

4/ Sounds like Trump may have given a separate order beyond the Proclamation.

5/ Once outside territory they were already "removed" DOJ argues so they didn't violate TRO that said you can't "remove" them.

6/ I'm confused here if the DOJ is saying removed based on Aliens Act but not Proclamation or NOT Aliens Act.

7/ DOJ won't tell Court what happened after outside airspace because concerns foreign relations.

8/ DOJ now brings Article II point which I saw as being strongest for the "turning around the planes" aspect of the dispute.

9/ In short: "With all due respect, your Honor, Step Off!"

10/ Link. Concluding/Overall thoughts to follow. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…

1/ And Judge counters: Hell no!

12/ Judge likely noted that the filing did NOT say the two flights were outside of US Territory AFTER the minute order was entered. Note the word choice: "As to any flights..."

13/ He will also likely asked if the 3rd flight involved Aliens Enemy Act removal or other removal because Trump could have ordered them removed/made same findings just not in the proclamation.

14/ Judge is going to be pissed over several things...more later.

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