Federal judges sued by Trump administration ask appeals court to reject 'misguided' lawsuit

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

April 30, 2026 12:14 PM EDT Updated 6 hours ago


April 30 (Reuters) - Federal judges in Maryland are urging an appeals court to uphold the dismissal of a ​lawsuit President Donald Trump's administration filed against them challenging a court order that impeded Trump's efforts to rapidly deport ‌people detained during his immigration crackdown.

The 14 judges, represented by prominent appellate advocate Paul Clement, told the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a Wednesday filing that the U.S. Department of Justice's case was "misguided" and an "unprecedented overreach" that threatened further tensions between the administration and the judiciary. "And if this first-of-its-kind lawsuit were to succeed, it ​would not be the last — and the next one could be against this Court (or the Supreme Court) and cause greater ​disruption still," the judges warned. The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment.

The Justice Department under ⁠now-former Attorney General Pam Bondi filed the case in June after the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in May ​adopted a standing order that automatically blocks for two business days the deportation of migrants in the state who file new lawsuits challenging their ​detention. The order, signed by Chief U.S. District Judge George Russell, cited a "recent influx of habeas petitions concerning alien detainees purportedly subject to improper and imminent removal from the United States." A habeas petition is a legal action challenging the legality of a person's detention.

Rather than challenge that order in an individual immigration case ​or seek to have it set aside through legislation or judicial policymaking, the Justice Department sued every judge on the federal bench in ​Maryland, arguing the order was unlawful and trampled on its authority over immigration matters. Because every Maryland judge was sued, the case was assigned to U.S. ‌District Judge ⁠Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee in the Western District of Virginia. He dismissed the case in August, holding that the administration could not sue the judges and decrying its "unprecedented and unfortunate" broader campaign to "smear and impugn" judges who rule against Trump's policies.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/federal-judges-sued-by-trump-administration-ask-appeals-court-reject-misguided-2026-04-30/

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Link to FILING (PDF) - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldocs/zgpollyldvd/04302026maryland.pdf

REFERENCES

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143491086
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143511904
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143512497
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143518815
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143615074
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143641888

[Captain Zero]

1. If the judge in VA dismissed it how does it

Continue?

[Janbdwl72]

2. Perhaps it was appealed, if that's possible for that type of suit.

Also, I noticed it said that VA judge was appointed by the Felon, so even he realized it was ridiculous.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. 45's unqualified loon crew

appealed the dismissal, wasting more taxpayer resources (money and personnel). But then they decided to try to halt the appeal with a lame "face-saving" excuse about the judges supposedly altering their orders. But the 45 lower court Judge who originally tossed the case has asked for the appeal to go forward anyway because he expected that the case would be refiled by DOJ again in the future, and thus an appellate ruling on how much of a bullshit case this was, is prudent.