In the early hours of Saturday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 7-2 decision temporarily halting the Trump administration’s use of a wartime law to deport Venezuelan migrants.
While the ruling was praised by civil rights advocates, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) expressed frustration that it wasn’t unanimous — and warned of the administration’s apparent disregard for court orders.
Speaking on MSNBC, Rep. Crockett applauded the ruling but criticized the Court’s internal split.
“The fact that this wasn’t a 9-0 decision is still very disappointing,” she said. “But the fact that we got to a 7-2 is a win, especially at 1 in the morning.”
The Supreme Court order directs the government to temporarily halt removals of Venezuelan detainees amid allegations that the administration was attempting to deport them under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 without due process — a statute historically invoked only during wartime.
Rep. Crockett likened the decision to earlier intervention by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who told the administration to “turn that plane around.” Echoing that sentiment, Crockett added: “Basically, they’re saying that plane better not take off. And we know how y’all like to act.”
“Will This Administration Obey the Courts?”
Crockett expressed concern that the Trump administration may simply ignore the Supreme Court’s order, a fear echoed by legal experts warning of a looming constitutional crisis.
“I think right now they’re trying to figure out — is this an administration that will even ignore our court orders?” she said. “That may sway how [the justices] decide to rule on this particular underlying issue.”
The Biden-era Supreme Court had previously ruled that detainees could not be deported under the Alien Enemies Act without certain procedural protections. However, Trump administration lawyers were accused of bypassing these safeguards by rushing deportations of men allegedly tied to Tren de Aragua, a gang that Homeland Security has labeled a terrorist organization.
Crockett challenged the administration’s narrative, demanding transparency in how detainees were identified as gang members.
“We know that they admitted that they were wrong,” she said. “Now they’re trying to double back and say he’s this terrible person.”
Crockett Applauds Sen. Van Hollen’s Trip to El Salvador
Crockett also praised Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) for personally traveling to El Salvador to check on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident and one of the men deported last month.
“Honestly, I don’t know that I was convinced that he was alive,” she admitted. “So I was happy to see that he was alive, number one.”
Van Hollen’s visit came amid growing international pressure over the Trump administration’s handling of deportations. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has said Garcia will remain in El Salvadoran custody, but Crockett called for more lawmakers to follow Van Hollen’s lead:
“If Senator Van Hollen can get down there… then I don’t understand why we can’t get [President Trump] to go down there.”
Crockett: “He’s Less Criminal Than the Guy in the White House”
In a fiery conclusion to her MSNBC appearance, Rep. Crockett pivoted to call out what she sees as hypocrisy in the Republican Party’s stance on crime and immigration.
“As far as I’m concerned, [Garcia] is a lot less criminal than the person that’s sitting in the White House,” Crockett said, referring to Trump. “Because last time I checked, he doesn’t have any criminal convictions. I don’t even think he has any outstanding cases — versus the guy that still had cases pending when he was sworn in and also has 34 felony convictions.”
“I don’t want to hear anything from the Republican Party about how they’re trying to keep us safe,” she continued. “Their fearless leader is actually the biggest criminal thus far that we have seen.”
What’s Next?
The Supreme Court’s temporary halt remains in place as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reviews the case.
The administration has been invited to respond to the ACLU’s emergency application. Civil rights groups continue to press for transparency and due process for detainees, while members of Congress urge vigilance over what they describe as authoritarian-style overreach from the executive branch.
