The whistleblower complaint claims that senior officials prioritized deportations over legal compliance during the Trump administration.
A former Justice Department attorney has filed a formal whistleblower complaint accusing the agency’s leadership of planning to deliberately ignore court orders in order to expedite deportations under former President Donald Trump’s administration.
Erez Reuveni, who worked nearly 15 years at the Department and had received multiple awards for his service, was placed on leave and later terminated in April after informing a federal judge that an immigrant had been deported in error.
Following his dismissal, Reuveni decided to report his concerns to Congress and federal oversight agencies, describing what he views as noncompliance with judicial authority in three immigration-related cases. His account adds to growing scrutiny over tensions between executive actions and judicial rulings on immigration policy.
In the complaint, Reuveni’s legal representatives stated that he attempted to uphold legal and ethical standards, but was “thwarted, threatened, fired, and publicly discredited for doing his job and telling the truth to the court.”
One of the key incidents highlighted was a meeting allegedly held on March 14 within the Justice Department, prior to a public declaration involving the use of legal powers to expedite deportations of suspected Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador. The complaint states that officials emphasized the need for deportation flights to proceed regardless of legal challenges, and that there was discussion of potentially ignoring judicial rulings.
These claims raise questions about previous statements made by department officials in court regarding the timeline and legality of certain deportation flights.
A senior official who was reportedly present at the meeting has denied that any suggestion to defy court orders was made.
Senator Richard Durbin acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and thanked Reuveni for speaking out, stating that the complaint raises ethical concerns regarding departmental conduct.
Reuveni’s attorneys emphasized that the alleged actions have broader implications, not only for the safety of deported individuals, but also for the constitutional rights and legal protections of all individuals subject to U.S. law.
