Federal Judge Holds Administration in Contempt Over Deportation of Asylum Seeker

<p>A federal judge held the administration in contempt on September 25, 2026, for deporting a young asylum seeker to El Salvador in violation of three court orders and ordered the government to bring him back to the U.S.</p><p>The ruling is part of an ongoing conflict between the administration and federal courts regarding deportations that occurred despite judicial protections. The judge found that the government violated orders issued in November 2024, April 2025, and July 2026.</p><p>U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher has now found the administration in contempt twice in the same class-action litigation. The recent ruling involves a 19-year-old identified as E.L.A., who was deported to El Salvador despite the existence of three separate court orders.</p><ul><li>In a brief order, Gallagher instructed the administration to return E.L.A. to the U.S., return his property and documents, and refrain from executing any final removal order against him until officials make the specified final asylum determination or the settlement expires.</li><li>This was the second time E.L.A. has been removed, according to court documents.</li><li>In a filing dated September 2, the government stated that officials had learned through an email from class counsel that E.L.A. had been removed to El Salvador, and in correspondence the following day, indicated they are "considering appropriate steps to rectify the communication errors that led to E.L.A.'s erroneous removal."</li><li>The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.</li></ul><p>The class-action lawsuit dates back to 2019, during the Trump administration, when young asylum seekers challenged a USCIS policy that restricted their ability to pursue asylum applications while in removal proceedings.</p><p>Gallagher ordered the parties to update the court by October 2 on whether E.L.A. wishes to return to the U.S. and, if so, the plans for his return.</p>