Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Against Maryland Federal Judges

A federal judge dismissed an unprecedented lawsuit filed by the Justice Department against all 15 federal district judges in Maryland, who had issued a standing order temporarily pausing deportations of migrants challenging their detention. Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, ruled that the judges were protected by judicial immunity and that the executive branch could not challenge the court’s order through a federal lawsuit, emphasizing that the proper recourse would be to appeal specific rulings or seek changes via the judicial council. Cullen criticized the Justice Department's broad legal attack on the judiciary as an unprecedented and improper challenge to the separation of powers, describing it as a "smear" on the judges. The ruling underscored the constitutional principle that disputes between co-equal branches should not be resolved by suing an entire bench of judges. Support for the judges came from various legal entities, highlighting the unusual nature of the case. The judge confirmed that while the lawsuit was dismissed, the administration could still pursue appeals through established judicial channels.