CNN
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Over the weekend, the Trump administration invoked wartime powers to deport hundreds of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang from the US to El Salvador. After a lawsuit was filed, a federal judge ordered the administration to stop the deportations, for now. Here’s a timeline of where the deportation flights were as the legal case unfolded:
March 15 before noon (all times Eastern)
US District Judge James Boasberg issues a written order temporarily blocking the government from removing five specific individuals who sued the Trump administration over President Donald Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act.
March 15 at 5:00 p.m.
Judge James Boasberg’s hearing begins, according to a CNN reporter covering the proceedings.
March 15 at 5:22 p.m.
The court hearing adjourns for a break, according to a CNN reporter covering the proceedings.
March 15 at 5:26 p.m.
The first flight carrying non-citizens for deportation, GlobalX Flight 6143, departs from Harlingen, Texas, according to FlightRadar24 data. FlightRadar24 is a live air traffic tracker showing flight times.
March 15 at 5:45 p.m.
A second flight carrying non-citizens for deportation, GlobalX Flight 6145, departs from Harlingen, Texas, according to FlightRadar24.
March 15 at 6:00 p.m.
The court hearing resumes, according to a CNN reporter covering the proceedings.
March 15 between 6:45 p.m. and 6:48 p.m.
During the court hearing, the judge verbally tells Justice Department lawyers that they need to turn around any planes carrying anyone being deported under the Alien Enemies Act. The exact timing for this utterance is based on what the defendants who sued the Trump administration put in a court filing. According to a transcript of the hearing, the judge said: “any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States… this is something that you need to make sure is complied with immediately.”
March 15 at 7:26 p.m.
The judge’s written order is posted to the online federal docket system known as PACER, according to the lawyers who sued the Trump administration. The written order is a formalized version of what the judge said during the hearing. He wrote: “As discussed in today’s hearing, the Court ORDERS that… The Government is ENJOINED from removing” from the country any non-citizens in US custody who are covered by Trump’s proclamation about the Alien Enemies Act. The brief written order did not specifically include language about turning flights around.
March 15 at 7:36 p.m.
The first flight carrying non-citizens for deportation, GlobalX Flight 6143, arrives in Comayagua, Honduras, according to FlightRadar24. The lawyers who sued the Trump administration pointed out that this and the other flights landed after the judge – both verbally and in writing – ordered the government to turn around any planes.
March 15 at 7:37 p.m.
The third flight carrying non-citizens for deportation, GlobalX Flight 6122, departs from Harlingen, Texas, according to FlightRadar24.
March 15 at 8:08 p.m.
The second flight carrying non-citizens for deportation, GlobalX Flight 6145, lands in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, at 8:08 p.m., according to FlightRadar24. (The lawyers who sued the Trump administration inaccurately said in a court filing that this flight landed in San Salvador at 8:02 p.m., but flight tracking data specified otherwise.)
March 15 at 9:52 p.m.
The third flight carrying non-citizens for deportation, GlobalX Flight 6122, arrives in San Salvador, El Salvador according to FlightRadar24.
March 15 at 11:37 p.m.
The second flight carrying non-citizens for deportations continues its journey, departing from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, according to FlightRadar24.
March 16 at 12:21 a.m.
The second flight carrying non-citizens for deportations finishes its journey, landing in San Salvador, El Salvador, according to FlightRadar 24.
March 16 around 3:46 p.m.
The Justice Department submits a notice to the judge, acknowledging his rulings, but also saying some people were already deported. The notice said, “some gang members subject to removal under the Proclamation had already been removed from United States territory under the Proclamation before the issuance of this Court’s second order,” specifically referring to Boasberg’s written ruling posted to the docket at 7:26pm.
