A US federal appeals court on Friday dismissed a contempt finding against President Donald Trump's administration over its summary deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador.

The 2-1 decision by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit overturns a ruling by a federal district judge that there was probable cause to find officials in contempt of court over the deportation flights.

The case stems from Trump's use in March of the obscure 1798 Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to deport more than 200 alleged Tren de Aragua gang members to a notorious prison in El Salvador.

District Judge James Boasberg verbally ordered a halt to the deportation flights and for the planes to be turned around but it did not happen, leading to his criminal contempt inquiry.

The two

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