Justice Department lawyer who argued deportation case is put on paid leave

A Justice Department lawyer who publically expressed misgivings astir the government’s effect to the erroneous deportation of a Maryland antheral to a high-security situation successful El Salvador has been enactment connected administrative leave, a DOJ authoritative said Saturday.

Erez Reuveni represented the Trump medication Friday astatine a national tribunal proceeding wherever lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia successfully obtained an bid requiring the authorities to unafraid his instrumentality to the U.S. aft helium was deported past period successful what migration officials described arsenic a clerical error.

Reuveni was noticeably unenthusiastic astir the government’s presumption successful the case, telling U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis that helium had urged his “clients” to instrumentality steps to bring Abrego Garcia back. The lawyer besides said he’d been rebuffed successful his attempts to get much accusation to connection the tribunal astir wherefore officials deemed him to beryllium a subordinate of MS-13.

Abrego Garcia entered the United States illegally successful 2012, authorities say. An migration justice ordered successful 2019 that Abrego Garcia could not beryllium deported to El Salvador, his location country, due to the fact that helium faced a morganatic hazard of persecution there. That judge’s bid remained successful effect erstwhile the Trump medication sent him determination past month.

Toward the extremity of Friday’s hearing, Reuveni pleaded with Xinis to clasp disconnected her ruling for 24 hours truthful helium could beseech the authorities to alteration its position. The White House has argued that the justice lacks the authorization to bid Abrego Garcia’s return.

“I would inquire the tribunal to springiness us, the defendants, 1 much accidental to bash this,” Reuveni said. “That’s my proposal to my client, but truthful acold that hasn’t happened.”

After a abbreviated recess, Xinis opted against immoderate hold and ordered the national authorities to instrumentality Abrego Garcia to the U.S. by midnight Monday.

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a connection Saturday suggesting that Reuveni, who’s been a vocation DOJ lawyer for astir 15 years and was precocious promoted to acting lawman manager of the department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, had not been forceful capable successful defending the government’s stance.

“At my direction, each Department of Justice lawyer is required to zealously advocator connected behalf of the United States. Any lawyer who fails to abide by this absorption volition look consequences,” Bondi said.

Reuveni did not instantly respond to an email seeking remark Saturday. The determination to spot him connected paid permission was archetypal reported by The New York Times, which said it obtained a missive Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche sent Reuveni suspending him for failing to travel “follow a directive from your superiors” and “engaging successful behaviour prejudicial to your client.”

The Justice Department instantly appealed Xinis’ determination requiring the instrumentality of Abrego Garcia, who is simply a national of El Salvador. On Saturday, DOJ filed a question with the justice asking her to enactment her ruling connected hold. It besides filed a akin question with the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Reuveni’s sanction was connected the entreaty Friday, but absent from the tribunal filings Saturday.