Senior editor, Lawfare. Journalist. Ex-Fortune staff. Published in ProPublica, NYT, New York, New Yorker, Yahoo Finance, Air Mail, etc. rparloff on BlueSky.
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She noted that immigration judges have found that the 5 plaintiffs face “persecution, torture, or death” if returned to their home countries, as one already has been. US officials allegedly told plaintiffs on planes to Ghana that they would ultimately be sent to home countries. 
If you recall, Judge Sparkle Sooknanan entered a temporary restraining order 8/31, barring the removals— govt calls them "reunifications"—of Guatemalan children ages 10-17. Govt has admitted intent to deport 327 children, with the first 76 booked for departure at 10:45am ET on 8/31. ... 
... That meant packing: 
... & it’s also true that Reuveni, later that day, after speaking to DOJ colleague Flentje, felt momentarily reassured. But it's the events that followed--laid out in detail over 27 pages--that suggest that Bove's "fuck you" comment *was* eventually carried out. ... 
The motion relies on allegations of both a pattern of obstruction & specific responses inconsistent with NYT reporting & the timing of Abrego Garcia's indictment. Here, e.g., attys allege 60 days of obstructive conduct *after* SCOTUS ruling ordering facilitation of his return:
... Melgar-Salmeron was appealing an adverse asylum ruling. On 4/17 govt told USCA2 it would remove him unless court stayed his removal by 5/8. On 5/7, at 9:52am ET, USCA2 stayed his removal. But at 10:20am ET he was removed anyway. ... 
It’s a claim under the so-called Westfall Act, which Trump/DOJ litigated before—from Sep 2020 to July 2023—but which seemed to have died then. My unofficial chronology is below. ...
Here’s the timeline. Trump tried to remove the case to federal court twice. Once before trial—denied & then Trump voluntarily dropped the appeal—and once after SCOTUS decided the immunity case, by which time the jury had already convicted. ...
... As Holcomb notes, his is the most deferential-to-the-president ruling yet. He concludes that “the AEA’s grant of authority to the President is close to ‘unlimited.’” He is 2d to uphold Trump’s invocation of the AEA, but the only one to take this hands-off approach. ....
... Melgar Salmeron contends he’ll face torture, corporal punishment, or death in El Salvador. The Bureau of Immigration Appeals denied his claim & he appealed to USCA2 in Nov 2023. At *govt’s* request, his case was then paused for 482 days while ... 
