A federal appeals court panel in the District of Columbia has overturned U.S. District Judge James Boasberg's order initiating contempt proceedings against the Trump administration regarding deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. The 2-1 ruling, issued by judges appointed by former President Donald Trump, Kevin C. Newsom and Sri Srinivasan, vacated the finding of probable cause to hold Trump administration officials in criminal contempt for defying Boasberg's temporary restraining order that sought to halt the deportation flights. The deportations involved Venezuelan migrants sent to a prison in El Salvador, which Boasberg had blocked. The appeals court ruled that Boasberg exceeded his authority in issuing the contempt order. The dissenting judge was Patricia Millett, appointed by former President Barack Obama. The ruling effectively ends the contempt inquiry against Trump officials related to the March 15 flights. Separately, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit also rejected a bid by labor unions to block the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump administration team focused on federal government downsizing, from accessing sensitive employee data, overruling a lower court injunction. This decision allows DOGE to proceed with data access despite privacy concerns raised by opponents.