Bush DOJ lawyer warns Trump admin against mistake in court fights
A top former Bush administration lawyer is sounding a warning to the White House not to ignore court orders in the midst of a standoff over President Donald Trump’s deportation flights under the Alien Enemies Act. John Yoo, a Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, expressed his concerns in an interview with Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
Yoo, who previously served in the Department of Justice during George W. Bush’s first term, cautioned against any potential defiance of judicial orders by the administration. He emphasized that such actions could have grave consequences for the legal system and the country as a whole.
The issue at hand involves more than a dozen injunctions that have temporarily blocked various Trump policies, including deportation flights, birthright citizenship reforms, and Department of Government Efficiency efforts. Some Republican allies of the president have accused judges of overstepping their boundaries and interfering with the executive branch’s authority.
Yoo pointed out that throughout history, there has only been one instance where a president refused to carry out a judicial order, and that was during the Civil War with Abraham Lincoln. He stressed that such defiance should only occur in extreme circumstances, as it could undermine the functioning of the legal system.
The White House has maintained that it has not disobeyed any lawful court orders, despite facing legal challenges to its deportation flights of suspected gang members to El Salvador. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an emergency order halting the flights for 14 days, prompting a response from the administration.
While the administration argues that the judge’s order came too late to stop the flights that were already en route, critics have raised concerns about the implications of disregarding judicial decisions. Yoo acknowledged the complexity of the case but cautioned against undermining the authority of the judiciary.
As the legal battle continues, both sides are navigating uncharted territory, with the judge questioning the government’s compliance with his order. Yoo highlighted the importance of upholding the rule of law and respecting the separation of powers between branches of government.
Ultimately, the outcome of this dispute will have far-reaching implications for the legal system and the balance of power in the country. Yoo’s warning serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding judicial decisions and respecting the rule of law, even in contentious political disputes.
