Judge James E. Boasberg stands for a portrait at E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, DC on March 16, 2023. Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post/Getty Images

A divided federal appeals court sided with the Trump administration on Friday in a case over the president’s use of the Alien Enemies Act in deportation matters — but it did not fully snuff out a lower court judge’s efforts to punish those who ignored previous orders halting the president’s use of the law.

The DC Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday declined to reinstate an order from US District Judge James Boasberg that found “probable cause exists” to hold administration officials in criminal contempt for violating his prior orders to temporarily stop using the law to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members.

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