Trump Administration Invokes State Secrets Privilege on Venezuelan Deportations

The Trump administration has invoked the state secrets privilege in a legal case concerning the deportation of Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador, asserting that revealing further information would jeopardize national security. Attorney General Pam Bondi and other officials argued that the court has sufficient information to address compliance issues without further intrusions that could harm diplomatic relations. This move follows U.S. District Judge James Boasberg's efforts to obtain details about deportation flights that reportedly included alleged gang members, which he had temporarily blocked. Tensions have escalated as Boasberg questioned whether the administration defied his order, and some appellate judges drew comparisons to historical cases of legal treatment for detained individuals. The Justice Department is also pushing for an appeals court to lift the block on deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, which has not been utilized since World War II. Meanwhile, Venezuelan officials have initiated legal actions in El Salvador related to these deportations.