A U.S. district judge in Washington, D.C., threatened to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions in contempt Thursday if he did not stop the removal of two illegal aliens who are awaiting a court hearing appealing their deportations.
The illegal immigrants in question — a woman identified in court filings as Carmen, and her daughter — were allegedly en route out of the United States and headed back to El Salvador after crossing over the Texas-Mexico border. The duo claimed asylum in June citing domestic abuse, reported The Washington Post.
“This is pretty outrageous — that someone seeking justice in U.S. court is spirited away while her attorneys are arguing for justice for her?” said Judge Emmet G. Sullivan, according to TIME. “This is not acceptable.”
Sessions previously tightened asylum standards, declaring that domestic violence no longer meets the requirement.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of the aforementioned individuals, as well as 10 others, after they were not granted asylum following the “credible fears” interview with immigration officials. (RELATED: Sessions Stands Strong In Defense of Terminating DACA)
Sullivan ordered the Trump administration to “turn the plane around” or else he would hold Sessions in contempt.
“In compliance with the court’s order, upon arrival in El Salvador, the plaintiffs did not disembark and were promptly returned to the United States,” a U.S. Department of Homeland Security official told WaPo.
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