A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to allow a group of Venezuelans who were hastily flown out of the country last year under the president’s wartime powers to return for court proceedings challenging their deportations.
Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg of D.C. said the Trump administration had denied due-process rights under the Constitution to 137 Venezuelan men who were deported in March under the rarely invoked Alien Enemies Act. The men were sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador, then moved to Venezuela months later as part of a prisoner swap.
For now, because of political and logistical challenges, Boasberg’s ruling does not cover deportees who remain in Venezuela and applies only to those who have moved to another country. The judge said those men must be paroled into the United States for court proceedings if they want the opportunity to challenge their removals.
Lawyers involved in the case said only a few of the plaintiffs are currently able to benefit from the ruling, because many of the 137 deportees are unreachable in Venezuela.
The ruling, which the Justice Department has vowed to appeal, was the latest judicial setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to ramp up deportations nationwide, in many cases without court hearings or advance notice.
The ruling covers deportees who show up at U.S. land ports of entry and those who take commercial flights into the country. Boasberg ordered the U.S. government to pay for the flights, granting a request from the plaintiffs’ lawyers.
“It is worth emphasizing that this situation would never have arisen had the Government simply afforded Plaintiffs their constitutional rights before initially deporting them,” Boasberg wrote.
Lee Gelernt, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney working with the Venezuelan migrants, said a handful of them had “managed to get out of Venezuela and want to pursue their rights.” Efforts to reach the others continue, he added.
“Recognizing that the nightmare these men suffered was the fault of the government’s failure to abide by the Constitution, the Court has taken the first critical step to providing them with the due process that even the government now concedes they were denied,” Gelernt said.
Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin defended the deportations.
“Nothing has changed; in addition to being in our country illegally, these aliens are foreign terrorists designated as alien enemies by the President,” McLaughlin said in a statement. “They were removed under the proper legal authorities.”
Justice Department lawyers had argued that federal judges were not legally empowered to second-guess the executive branch’s decisions on deportations and that there was no feasible way to locate or provide court hearings for the Venezuelan migrants, especially after U.S. forces deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro this year and began delicate negotiations with the country’s new leadership.
Boasberg, a former prosecutor appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama, has drawn President Donald Trump’s ire over his rulings in the Venezuelan migrants’ case. The president and some of his Republican allies have called for Boasberg’s impeachment, and the Justice Department filed a judicial misconduct complaint against him. It was later dismissed by a federal appeals court judge.
The Trump administration, in turn, has drawn rebukes from the judge for using the Alien Enemies Act to hastily deport the Venezuelan men, who were all designated members of the Tren de Aragua gang by the government and denied the opportunity to offer evidence to the contrary before being flown out of the country.
Boasberg began a contempt-of-court inquiry last year after top administration officials ignored orders he gave to return and stop the flights transporting the Venezuelans to El Salvador’s notorious Terrorism Confinement Center. The federal appeals court in D.C. has temporarily paused the contempt inquiry.
In Thursday’s ruling, Boasberg said the deported Venezuelans could challenge Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to remove them or their individual designations as Tren de Aragua members. The judge said any migrants who return for their court proceedings should be prepared to be detained and possibly re-deported at their conclusion.
The deportees also may start submitting court filings from Venezuela, and hearings for them could be held later, Boasberg ruled.
Akshaya Kumar, the crisis advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, which studied and produced a report about the detentions, said the judge’s order is an acknowledgment of the harm the group says came about from the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to carry out the deportations.
“A lot remains to be seen on how the appeals play out but what this decision represents is a recognition that these people shouldn’t have been removed without process in the first place,” Kumar said.
If the case ends up before the Supreme Court, Kumar said, she urged the justices to “make clear that the president shouldn’t be able to assert that there’s a war when there isn’t a war or that people are enemies when they are simply immigrants.”
Although migrants who remain in Venezuela were not covered by Thursday’s ruling, the judge said the Trump administration should continue exploring the “the feasibility of returning Plaintiffs still in Venezuela who wish to return for their proceedings” and ordered the government to submit a report on those efforts next month.
(c) 2026, The Washington Post
Gallup announced Wednesday that it will discontinue its long-running presidential approval ratings, bringing to a close an 88-year practice that has long been viewed as a benchmark of public opinion on White House performance.
The polling organization confirmed to The Hill that it plans to stop releasing approval and favorability scores for specific political leaders beginning this year. In a statement, the firm explained that the move “reflects an evolution in how Gallup focuses its public research and thought leadership.”
“Our commitment is to long-term, methodologically sound research on issues and conditions that shape people’s lives,” a Gallup spokesperson told the outlet. “That work will continue through the Gallup Poll Social Series, the Gallup Quarterly Business Review, the World Poll, and our portfolio of U.S. and global research.”
For decades, the Gallup Presidential Approval Rating has been widely cited by news organizations as a key indicator of how Americans view a president’s job performance.
When asked by The Hill whether the company had received any reaction or communication from the White House or individuals within the Trump administration prior to making the decision, a spokesperson responded, “This is a strategic shift solely based on Gallup’s research goals and priorities.”
“This change is part of a broader, ongoing effort to align all of Gallup’s public work with its mission,” the spokesperson said. “We look forward to continuing to offer independent research that adheres to the highest standards of social science.”
Gallup will continue surveying Americans on a broad array of topics beyond partisan politics, including religion, the labor market, artificial intelligence, and confidence in major public institutions.
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump is set to present a sweeping, multi-billion-dollar rebuilding initiative for Gaza and outline the formation of a U.N.-authorized international stabilization force at the first official gathering of his Board of Peace next week, according to two senior U.S. officials who spoke on Thursday.
The session, scheduled for Feb. 19 in Washington, D.C., is expected to draw representatives from at least 20 nations, including numerous heads of state. Trump will preside over the meeting, the officials told Reuters, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the plans.
Specific details regarding the agenda for this inaugural Board of Peace meeting focused on Gaza have not previously been disclosed.
Trump formally established the Board of Peace on Jan. 23 while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, signing the foundational documents there. The initiative was later backed by a United Nations Security Council resolution, which incorporated the board into the broader framework of Trump’s Gaza proposal.
Several regional players — among them Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar — along with prominent emerging countries such as Indonesia, have aligned themselves with the board. In contrast, major global powers and long-standing Western allies of the United States have responded more cautiously to the initiative.
During his visit to Washington on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel has joined the board. Trump’s effort has raised concerns in some quarters that the Board of Peace could extend its reach beyond Gaza and seek to address additional global conflicts, potentially overlapping with the role of the United Nations.
The U.S. officials emphasized that next week’s discussions will be devoted exclusively to Gaza. A central feature of the meeting will be Trump’s unveiling of a multi-billion-dollar reconstruction fund for the territory, financed through contributions from member states of the board. One official described the pledges as “generous” and noted that Washington had not formally solicited contributions.
“People have come to us offering,” the official said. “The president will make announcements vis a vis the money raised.”
A cornerstone of the upcoming phase of Trump’s Gaza strategy is the deployment of an International Stabilization Force. The broader plan was first introduced in September. Its initial phase led to a delicate ceasefire taking effect on Oct. 10 in the two-year conflict, during which Hamas released hostages and Israel freed Palestinian detainees.
At the meeting, Trump is expected to disclose that multiple countries are prepared to contribute several thousand personnel to the stabilization force, which is anticipated to enter Gaza in the coming months, according to the officials.
One of the most pressing challenges remains the disarmament of Hamas fighters, many of whom have resisted surrendering their weapons. Under Trump’s framework, Hamas members who agree to lay down their arms and commit to peaceful coexistence would receive amnesty. Those opting to depart Gaza would be granted safe passage to countries willing to accept them.
The Board of Peace summit will also feature comprehensive briefings on the activities of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, an entity created to assume civilian governance responsibilities in the Strip from Hamas. The committee publicly named its members and convened its inaugural meeting in January.
Additional updates are expected regarding humanitarian assistance efforts in Gaza and developments involving the territory’s police forces, the officials added.
{Matzav.com}
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu completed a rapid trip to the United States on Thursday, capping the visit with an extended three-hour session at the White House with President Donald Trump that centered largely on Iran and the direction of ongoing negotiations.
Speaking briefly before boarding Israel’s official aircraft, Wing of Zion, Netanyahu described the discussion in positive terms and said President Trump is convinced that Tehran understands the consequences of walking away from a potential agreement.
A primary concern raised during the talks, Netanyahu indicated, was the possibility of a narrowly structured nuclear agreement — one that would address uranium enrichment alone while leaving aside Iran’s ballistic missile program and its backing of regional proxy groups.
“We have a strong, true, and open relationship,” Netanyahu said of Trump, explaining that their meeting “dealt with several issues, but focused mainly on the negotiations with Iran.”
Netanyahu said Trump believes Iranian leaders now recognize the stakes involved. “The President believes that the Iranians have already learned who they are dealing with. I think that the conditions he is setting, together with their understanding that they made a mistake last time when they didn’t reach a deal, may lead them to agree to conditions that will enable a good deal.”
At the same time, the prime minister acknowledged his own reservations about the prospects for a final agreement. “I want to say clearly,” Netanyahu continued, “I do not hide my general doubtfulness about the possibility of reaching any deal with Iran. That being said, I made it clear that if a deal is reached, it must include the components that are important to us, the State of Israel, and in my opinion, the entire international community: not only the nuclear issue, but also the ballistic missiles, and the Iranian proxies in the region.”
Netanyahu concluded by reiterating the tone of the meeting and broadening the scope of the conversation beyond Iran. “It was an excellent conversation. Of course, we spoke about Gaza, the entire region, and other general topics. In any case, it was another conversation with a great friend of the State of Israel, I president like there never was.”
{Matzav.com}
Homan Announces End of Minnesota Immigration Surge After Thousands of Arrests
The Trump administration is winding down its large-scale immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota after two months, border czar Tom Homan said Thursday, though he noted that a limited federal presence will remain in the state for the time being.
Speaking in Minneapolis, Homan said the administration is scaling back Operation Metro Surge following what he described as strong results and improved collaboration with local authorities. At the same time, he cautioned that ongoing unrest by far-left activists could complicate a full withdrawal of federal agents.
“With the success that has been made in arresting public safety threats and other priorities since this surge operation began, as well as the unprecedented levels of coordination we have obtained from state officials and local law enforcement, I have proposed — and President Trump has concurred — that this surge operation conclude,” Homan told reporters in Minneapolis.
He said federal personnel have already begun pulling back.
“A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue into the next week,” he added, without specifying how many federal personnel would be leaving the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Homan credited the operation with thousands of arrests and the recovery of thousands of migrant children.
The border czar credited Operation Metro Surge with more than 4,000 arrests and the recovery of 3,364 unaccompanied migrant children, whom he claimed “the last administration lost and weren’t even looking for.”
He also highlighted recent arrests of individuals with serious criminal records.
“Just this week,” Homan continued, ICE nabbed an illegal immigrant who had been convicted of raping a child under the age of 14.
“ICE also arrested two criminal aliens with criminal sexual misconduct convictions, among other violent criminals,” he added.
Addressing criticism of the operation, Homan rejected claims that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents carried out enforcement actions in sensitive locations such as schools, churches, or hospitals. He said he had found no evidence to support those allegations, aside from the arrest of demonstrators — including former CNN anchor Don Lemon — who disrupted a church service in St. Paul on Jan. 18.
At the peak of the enforcement effort, more than 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol officers were deployed in Minneapolis, a move that sparked protests and unrest in parts of the city.
Last week, Homan confirmed that approximately 700 personnel had already been withdrawn, reducing the number of federal officers on the ground to around 2,000.
Before the surge began, about 150 federal immigration agents were stationed in Minneapolis, Homan said in remarks last week.
“Operation Metro Surge is ending,” Homan confirmed. “Next week, we’re going to deploy the officers here on detail back to their home stations and other areas of the country. But we’re going to continue to enforce immigration law.”
He stressed, however, that continued reductions in personnel would depend on the security situation.
“since I have been here, I’ve repeatedly emphasized that the unlawful and violent agitator activity is unacceptable and must wind down as a condition for further drawdown of law enforcement personnel.
“I cannot remove law enforcement personnel while violence poses a serious risk to our officers; I will not leave my officers in that position.”
The administration initially launched the Minnesota surge late last year following a large welfare fraud scandal that drew nationwide scrutiny, much of it centered on the Somali community in the Twin Cities.
On Jan. 26, Trump sent Homan to Minnesota after nationwide outrage erupted over the fatal shootings of anti-ICE protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Reports have indicated that Homan and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem differed on enforcement priorities, with Homan favoring a focus on illegal immigrants with criminal records rather than a broader approach targeting all undocumented individuals.
Trump has publicly supported Noem despite sharp criticism from Democrats, who have called for her resignation or dismissal.
Throughout the operation, Homan repeatedly urged local officials to allow federal authorities access to detention facilities holding migrants arrested by local law enforcement.
“As far as the jails, we got more cooperation with more jails than we had before we got here. That’s a good thing. We’re having conversations with the state,” he added. “We’re moving further on other agreements for the state.
“The cooperation we have here, it’s going to keep this city safer. It’s going to keep our agents safer.”
{Matzav.com}
The Trump administration covertly moved thousands of Starlink satellite internet terminals into Iran following last month’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests, according to a report published Thursday by The Wall Street Journal.
The newspaper said the effort was designed to help regime critics maintain internet access after Iranian authorities responded to widespread demonstrations by killing thousands and sharply limiting online connectivity across the country.
U.S. officials told the Journal that this marks the first known instance in which Washington directly supplied Starlink devices inside Iran — a significant risk given that possession of the terminals is illegal there and can carry lengthy prison sentences.
The operation reflects President Donald Trump’s broader approach toward adversarial governments, combining sanctions and military deterrence with measures intended to strengthen civilians living under authoritarian systems.
According to the Journal, the State Department acquired nearly 7,000 Starlink units in recent months, most of them purchased in January, and succeeded in covertly delivering roughly 6,000 of those devices into Iran.
The funding for the purchase reportedly came after senior officials in the Trump administration reallocated money from other internet-freedom initiatives to secure the satellite equipment.
The White House declined to comment, the Journal reported.
Iranian leaders have frequently accused the United States, without presenting proof, of instigating unrest within the country.
Although American officials denied organizing last month’s protests, the Journal noted that the Starlink shipments indicate the administration has provided more tangible assistance to anti-regime elements than had previously been disclosed.
The report also pointed to an ongoing debate within the U.S. government and among digital-rights advocates over the most effective methods for bypassing state censorship.
For years, virtual private networks funded by the United States have enabled millions of Iranians to circumvent government-imposed firewalls and access outside information.
However, officials cited in the Journal said VPNs lose effectiveness during sweeping internet blackouts, making satellite-based systems like Starlink — despite the dangers involved — one of the few viable options for maintaining connectivity.
Some technology experts cautioned that Starlink use, without added safeguards, could expose users to detection, and argued that resources should not be shifted away from VPN providers.
The Journal reported that after the State Department redirected funding to support the Starlink effort, financial backing lapsed for two of the five VPN services operating in Iran.
The covert initiative comes as Trump remains engaged in sensitive negotiations with Tehran aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Iran has maintained its position that uranium enrichment will continue, while the Trump administration has insisted on eliminating any route toward a nuclear weapon.
The Journal reported that if diplomacy collapses, Trump could approve military action, with U.S. forces already deployed in the Middle East.
Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu in Washington on Wednesday to discuss the Iranian threat.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed hope for a negotiated outcome but cautioned, “If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be.”
{Matzav.com}
