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Trump administration live updates: White House officials question court's authority over deportations
Trump's policy chief calls the judge's ruling "patently unlawful."
The White House on Monday was facing a legal battle over its use of the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century law, under which the United States began deporting Venezuelans allegedly linked to organized crime.
President Donald Trump also said he planned on Tuesday to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the U.S. president seeks to find common ground for a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
Latest headlines:
- Trump pulls Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden
- Miller questions judge’s authority over immigration policy
- Trump says unredacted Kennedy assassination files will be released Tuesday
- FAA reinstating more than 100 employees who were laid off, union says
- IRS probationary workers temporarily reinstated, placed on leave
Tulsi Gabbard backs Trump’s ‘clear-eyed’ Ukraine-Russia negotiations
The Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said President Donald Trump is “clear-eyed” and is “focused on peace” in efforts to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, speaking during two interviews in India.
When asked about an upcoming meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Gabbard said, “With any of these kinds of negotiations, there's a lot of work that goes between people representing both countries, or all of the countries involved in this situation, and at the appropriate time, I'm sure that President Trump will have a very productive conversation with Putin, once again, rooted in his current commitment to peace.”
She added, "In a very short period of time, President Trump has made much more progress towards peace than any effort that has occurred by anyone previously. So we're very encouraged by this progress, and President Trump remains committed to the objective of peace.”
“He's looking forward to success in those negotiations, not for himself, but for the cause of peace and to stop the killing of innocent and taking of innocent lives there,” she said.
Trump says he looks 'very much forward' to call with Putin
President Donald Trump teased teased his forthcoming phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he looks "very much forward to the call" Tuesday morning.
"Tomorrow morning I will be speaking to President Putin concerning the War in Ukraine. Many elements of a Final Agreement have been agreed to, but much remains," Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday night.
"Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed. Each week brings 2,500 soldier deaths, from both sides, and it must end NOW. I look very much forward to the call with President Putin," the president added.
-ABC News' Molly Nagle
Trump pulls Secret Service protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden
Trump announced Monday on Truth Social that Hunter and Ashley Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection.
"Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period of time, all paid for by the United States Taxpayer. There are as many as 18 people on this Detail, which is ridiculous! He is currently vacationing in, of all places, South Africa, where the Human Rights of people has been strenuously questioned," Trump wrote on his social media platform.
“Please be advised that, effective immediately, Hunter Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection. Likewise, Ashley Biden who has 13 agents will be taken off the list," Trump said.
The President was asked earlier Monday who was paying for Hunter Biden’s Secret Service protection and he said he would look into the matter later in the day.
It's not unusual for the children of an outgoing president to receive an extension on their protection as a courtesy extended to the outgoing president and his family. Trump’s four adult children and their two spouses received Secret Service protection for an additional six months after Trump's first term.
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle, Hannah Demissie and Luke Barr
Miller questions judge’s authority over immigration policy
Shortly after Trump’s border czar Tom Homan flat out stated he didn't "care" what judges thought, Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, questioned the authority of a district court judge to rule over the president's immigration policies.
I asked Miller if this administration believes it needs to comply with a verbal court order. He took it one step farther.
“The American people said, to get these terrorist gangs the hell out of our country. The President has plenary authority under the Constitution, under the Alien Enemies Act, under the IMA, under core article, two powers to achieve that and no district court judge, who presides over to some small like little geography of the whole country could possibly presume to have the authority to direct the expulsion of terrorists from our soil, who by the way are also here illegally,” he stated, calling the order “patently unlawful.”
The White House has not provided the names of the alleged gang members who were deported or any substantial evidence of the crimes they committed in the United States.
I asked Miller why the White House has released images and videos of the people they deported but has not released their names. He cited "operational security” reasons.
"Well, they are actually foreign terrorists and alien enemies the United States and everything that we do is for operational security reasons. We are dealing with one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations on planet Earth," he said.
He added, "They're even more ruthless and violent than MS-13, and so operational security and public safety and national security always going to guide any decisions that are made in this regard."
-ABC News’ Rachel Scott