The Justice Department said Tuesday that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was the Trump administration official behind the decision not to comply with a federal judge’s order to halt the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act.

In a court filing, the Justice Department said administration officials conveyed U.S. District Judge James Boasberg’s March 15 oral order to return alleged Venezuelan members of the Tren de Aragua gang to the United States, as well as the subsequent written order the same day that blocked the federal government from removing members subject to the Alien Enemies Act under President Donald Trump’s invocation of the 18th century law.

The filing said Justice Department officials relayed the order and provide

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