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A Justice Department whistleblower says senior Trump administration officials instructed DOJ lawyers to ignore court orders in order to carry out deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, even if doing so meant directly defying federal judges.
In a letter sent to Congress and obtained by NBC News, Erez Reuveni, a former DOJ attorney, described a March 14 meeting where Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove allegedly said officials should be prepared to say “f— you” to the courts if judges tried to stop deportation flights.
“Bove indicated these removals were a priority for the administration and stressed to all in attendance that the planes needed to take off no matter what,” Reuveni’s lawyers wrote.
The deportations were planned for that weekend, and would be carried out under a rarely used provision of the Alien Enemies Act. Reuveni said he was initially reassured when another official pushed back, saying the department would follow court orders. But he later witnessed three instances of the DOJ violating those very orders, misrepresenting facts to judges, and pressuring attorneys to fabricate claims.
Court-Ordered Deportation Halts Defied
One day after the March 14 meeting, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an emergency stay on certain deportations. DOJ attorney Drew Ensign, who had been at the same meeting as Bove, falsely claimed to the court that he was unaware of any flights.
Despite the judge’s order, Reuveni said the deportation flights proceeded, and no instructions were sent to Homeland Security or State Department to halt them. Reuveni emailed both agencies, alerting them to the judge’s ruling — and received no response.
He later learned Bove had advised DHS that it was acceptable to deplane individuals who had already left U.S. airspace before the court order hit the docket. DOJ attorneys then told the court it would not answer questions about anything that happened prior to 7:26 p.m., the time the judge’s order was officially entered.
Judge Boasberg has since found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in contempt.
Reuveni Fired After Refusing to Lie
Reuveni’s whistleblower letter outlines a broader campaign of pressure and legal misconduct:
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He was told by DHS attorneys to “ask your leadership” after relaying another court injunction that barred sending deportees to unfamiliar third countries.
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A colleague told him to “stop asking questions” and avoid putting anything in writing.
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Reuveni refused to declare in court that one deportee, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, was a terrorist, stating: “I didn’t sign up to lie.”
Seven hours later, he was placed on leave and then fired on April 11 for what the DOJ called “failure to follow a directive.” Reuveni contends he was terminated for refusing to participate in unlawful actions and for reporting internal misconduct.
Abrego, who had been illegally deported to El Salvador despite a court order, was eventually returned to the U.S. this month — and was charged with human trafficking.
DOJ Pushback and Political Implications
The revelations come just ahead of a Senate confirmation hearing for Bove, who has been nominated for a lifetime seat on a federal appeals court. Bove and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, both longtime Trump legal advisers, have denied wrongdoing.
Blanche dismissed the allegations on X as “falsehoods purportedly made by a disgruntled former employee.”
However, Reuveni’s letter is backed by detailed timelines and internal communications, and he is being represented by the Government Accountability Project, a respected nonprofit focused on whistleblower advocacy.
Reuveni said he had no political axe to grind: he was promoted on the same day as the March 14 meeting and had been awarded for his legal work during Trump’s first term.
What’s Next
Reuveni’s complaint accuses DOJ and White House officials of knowingly and willfully defying court orders, instructing attorneys to mislead judges, and withholding key information — all to expedite deportations that may violate both U.S. and international law.
Congressional Democrats have begun requesting hearings, and civil liberties groups are calling for the withdrawal of Bove’s nomination.
“This is about the rule of law,” said one senior Democratic aide. “If DOJ lawyers can be told to ignore judges and lie in court, then the whole system breaks down.”
The White House has not yet commented on the whistleblower complaint.
