Senior White House officials met late Saturday to discuss how to respond after US District Judge James Boasberg ruled that deportations under the Alien Enemies Act must stop, CNN reported, citing a source. Despite the ruling, they decided not to order planes carrying migrants to turn back.
The flights had only been in the air briefly before the judge issued his decision, the source added.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reportedly argued there was no conflict between the administration's actions and the judge's written order as the directive to return planes was given verbally in court.
