A former Justice Department immigration lawyer has released emails and records that raise serious questions about Emil Bove, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the federal appeals court. The documents were made public by Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois on Thursday.
According to MSNBC, the whistleblower, Erez Reuveni, submitted a 27-page complaint with supporting documents, including emails, text messages, and phone records. These materials shed light on the Trump administration’s handling of deportation cases and court orders.
According to an email from March 16, Yaakov Roth, the principal deputy in the Justice Department’s Civil Division, stated that Bove “advised DHS last night that the deplaning of the flights that had departed US airspace prior to the court’s minute order was permissible under the law and the court’s order.” This revelation suggests Bove approved landing planes with deportees in El Salvador after Judge James Boasberg had ordered the administration to turn them back, continuing Trump’s pattern of illegally defying court orders.
New evidence shows Justice Department lawyers were kept in the dark about deportation decisions
The documents reveal that career Justice Department lawyers, who were responsible for writing briefs and appearing in court, were not informed about important decisions. They repeatedly tried to get information from other agencies, especially the Department of Homeland Security, without success.
.@AaronBlake: "The big question hanging over top Justice Department official Emil Bove’s nomination…is whether he actually suggested the Trump DOJ might simply ignore court orders."
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) July 11, 2025
The "whistleblower has now backed up his account with evidence" given to @SenJudiciaryGOP
The records also show how these lawyers were excluded from high-level talks about handling public concerns over Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s unlawful deportation to El Salvador. Additionally, there are suggestions that a senior Justice Department official, Drew Ensign, may have misled Judge Boasberg during a March 15 hearing by claiming he didn’t know about plans to deport people under the Alien Enemies Act case.
The whistleblower’s complaint also includes a controversial claim that Bove suggested the Justice Department might have to resist court orders with strong language. However, Attorney General Pam Bondi defended Bove on social media, stating “there was no court order to defy” and dismissing Reuveni as “a disgruntled employee” seeking attention.
Judge Boasberg started a contempt investigation to find out who was responsible for not following his order. This investigation is currently on hold while the administration appeals. The Senate is expected to vote on Bove’s nomination next week, but these new revelations may complicate the process, especially amid growing concerns about judicial corruption in Trump’s appointments.
