Trump spokesperson: 'We played a little game of catch me if you can' on deportations

A White House spokesperson asserted the federal judge who ordered the Trump administration to turn around flights with Venezuelan migrants headed to El Salvador was "too slow."
“The president will always follow the law, but this judge was too slow. We played a little game of 'catch me if you can,' and guess what, the judge wasn't able to catch us on this one,” White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields said on NewsNation’s "Morning in America."
Fields also argued the judge overstepped on President Trump's authority, echoing other administration officials who have claimed the president's authority under the Alien Enemies Act supersedes such court orders.
The Trump administration has faced broad scrutiny over its moves to bypass orders over the weekend from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg aimed at halting the deportations.
Trump and his allies have gone after the judge, calling for him to be impeached and for the case to be reassigned.
Boasberg, meanwhile, lashed out at the Trump administration in a hearing Monday evening for refusing to answer questions about the flights he ordered turned around.
Trump on Saturday invoked the Alien and Enemies Act of 1798 while removing hundreds of immigrants that the White House has accused of being tied to gangs including Tren De Aragua, which started in Venezuela and was designated by the Trump administration as a terrorist group in February.
Trump invoked the act to quickly deport the Venezuelan immigrants. The rarely used 18th-century wartime law allows the federal government to detain or deport people who are natives and citizens of countries deemed foreign adversaries.
“These are foreign terrorists, that the president has identified them, and designated them as such, and we will continue to follow the Alien Enemies Act,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said Monday during an appearance on Fox News’s “Jesse Watters Primetime.”
The federal judge has ordered the administration to provide info on the flight timelines or justification for refusing to do so by noon Tuesday.
-
Judge orders Trump administration to reveal details of deportation flights to El Salvador
The Trump administration has until noon Tuesday to share details with a federal judge about the deportation flights carrying undocumented Venezuelans with alleged gang ties over the weekend. CBS ...CBS News - 6h -
White House questions authority of judge's verbal order on Venezuelan deportation flights
The White House on Monday cast doubt on the authority of a verbal order from a judge directing the administration to turn around planes carrying Venezuelan migrants out of the country. White House ...The Hill - 1d -
Trump admin live updates: White House asks court to stay deportation flights TRO
Despite a federal judge ordering deportation flights of Venezuelans to cease, video shows more deportees arriving in El Salvador.ABC News - 1d -
Trump calls for impeachment of judge in deportation flight case
President Trump on Tuesday called for the impeachment of a federal judge who directed flights carrying Venezuelan migrants to be turned around in what has become a contentious battle with the ...The Hill - 4h -
Trump faces new legal battle after deporting Venezuelan migrants
President Donald Trump is defending his administration's controversial deportation of around 300 alleged Venezuelan gang members to a prison in El Salvador. The White House claimed authority for ...NBC News - 1d -
Judge orders Trump White House to disclose deportation flight details
The Trump administration went to court Monday defending its decision to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 and deport hundreds of alleged gang members to El Salvador. On Saturday night, a judge ...CBS News - 18h -
Venezuelan Families Fear for Relatives as Trump Celebrates Deportations to El Salvador
The news that hundreds of migrants were headed to an El Salvador prison caused panic for some Venezuelans, who worried that their loved ones might be among them.The New York Times - 1d -
Breakdown of Alien Enemies Act and Trump administration's deportation flights against judge's order
The Trump administration has until noon Tuesday to share details with a federal judge about the deportation flights carrying undocumented Venezuelans. The White House carried out the flights even ...CBS News - 3h -
Judge blocks deportations under 1798 law, orders flights turned around
A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from deporting any noncitizens pursuant to the president's recent proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act.ABC News - 2d
More from The Hill
-
Republican files impeachment against judge who ruled against Trump deportations
Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) introduced a resolution to impeach U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who over the weekend ordered the Trump administration to halt deportations of Venezuelans that it ...The Hill - 44m -
Israel is driving a revival of Arab solidarity
In a striking historical parallel, the country that once divided the Arabs is now, through its policies and actions, bringing them together.The Hill - 44m -
Trump eyes more coal power
President Trump is hoping to see more of the nation’s energy produced with coal, he said in a social media post on Monday night. Trump wrote that he is “authorizing” his administration to ...The Hill - 45m -
Vance to serve as RNC finance chair
Vice President Vance will take on the role of finance chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) as the party looks to keep its congressional majorities in 2026. The RNC announced the ...The Hill - 52m -
Paxton: Cornyn has 'had his chance'
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has expressed interest in challenging U.S. Sen. John Cornyn next year, citing Cornyn's support for U.S. aid to Ukraine and his role in negotiating bipartisan gun ...The Hill - 54m
More in Politics
-
White House releases readout of Trump and Putin's call on Ukraine ceasefire
The White House has released a readout of President Trump's call with Russian President Putin and their discussions about a ceasefire in Ukraine. NBC News' Kelly O'Donnell reports on what the two ...NBC News - 33m -
Republican files impeachment against judge who ruled against Trump deportations
Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) introduced a resolution to impeach U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who over the weekend ordered the Trump administration to halt deportations of Venezuelans that it ...The Hill - 44m -
Israel is driving a revival of Arab solidarity
In a striking historical parallel, the country that once divided the Arabs is now, through its policies and actions, bringing them together.The Hill - 44m -
Trump eyes more coal power
President Trump is hoping to see more of the nation’s energy produced with coal, he said in a social media post on Monday night. Trump wrote that he is “authorizing” his administration to ...The Hill - 45m -
Vance to serve as RNC finance chair
Vice President Vance will take on the role of finance chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) as the party looks to keep its congressional majorities in 2026. The RNC announced the ...The Hill - 52m