A former Department of Justice attorney, Erez Reuveni, has filed a whistleblower complaint accusing Trump administration officials of intentionally ignoring federal court orders to expedite large-scale deportations .
Reuveni’s detailed 35-page letter alleges that senior DOJ leadership, including Emil Bove—a Trump-appointed official and current federal judicial nominee—convened meetings in March where they resolved to proceed with deportation flights regardless of legal injunctions. During these discussions, Bove allegedly told colleagues, “the planes needed to take off no matter what” and suggested the DOJ might effectively tell courts to “f*** you”.
The deportation efforts were tied to a plan invoking the rarely used Alien Enemies Act, aimed at removing Venezuelan nationals. Reuveni describes how the DOJ pressured the Department of Homeland Security and State to carry out removals despite a judge’s oral order halting the flights . One victim, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, was flown to El Salvador on March 15 before courts could intervene.
Reuveni, a DOJ attorney for nearly 15 years, said he was threatened, retaliated against, and ultimately fired after pushing back on efforts to mislead the courts. He claimed the administration instructed officials to communicate by phone to avoid creating formal records. He also alleged the DOJ falsely told one judge that deportations were handled by the military, concealing DHS’s involvement .
Although Bove has denied the claims, Reuveni’s complaint suggests that multiple federal judges are weighing whether DOJ officials should face contempt charges .
Reuveni’s action has significant implications: the whistleblower states the administration’s contempt for court orders undermines the rule of law and threatens civil liberties. His allegations have triggered growing attention in Congress and the DOJ Inspector General’s office .
With input from Al Jazeera
