A senior Justice Department official nominated by President Donald Trump to serve on the federal appeals bench is facing whistleblower allegations that he pressured department attorneys to ignore court orders halting deportations and even suggested the department consider telling judges "f*** you."
The claims, detailed in a whistleblower complaint sent to Congress on Tuesday, center on Emil Bove, Trump's pick for the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Bove, formerly a top DOJ official and Trump's criminal defense lawyer in Manhattan, is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing.
According to the complaint filed by attorneys for former DOJ lawyer Erez Reuveni, Bove made the inflammatory remarks during a March 14 meeting regarding deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. The department "would need to consider telling the courts 'f*** you' and ignore any such court order," Bove allegedly stated, insisting that "the planes needed to take off no matter what."
Reuveni, a 14-year DOJ veteran who served as acting deputy director of the Office of Immigration Litigation, claims he was subsequently threatened, placed on leave, and fired for refusing to mislead courts and for opposing illegal deportations. The complaint, first reported by The New York Times, accuses DOJ leadership of pressuring Reuveni to file briefs containing factual misrepresentations and failing to comply with federal court orders.
In one case, Reuveni told a Maryland judge that the U.S. had mistakenly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia to a notorious Salvadoran prison despite a standing court order barring the removal. After he admitted the error in court and refused to defend the removal as lawful, Reuveni was dismissed. He ”didn't sign up to lie," he reportedly told a supervisor who asked him to appeal the judge's order.
Sen. Dick Durbin, the Judiciary Committee's top Democrat, condemned Bove's conduct, stating: "These serious allegations, from a career Justice Department lawyer who defended the first Trump Administration's immigration policies, not only speak to Mr. Bove's failure to fulfill his ethical obligations as a lawyer, but demonstrate that his activities are part of a broader pattern by President Trump and his allies to undermine the Justice Department's commitment to the rule of law."
Dana Gold, senior counsel at the Government Accountability Project, said, "Mr. Reuveni's disclosures reveal a disturbing willingness by senior officials to undermine the rule of law for political ends. Mr. Reuveni acted with integrity... He should be commended, not punished."
The Justice Department has rejected the allegations. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who was reportedly present during the March 14 meeting, described the claims as "falsehoods" by "a disgruntled former employee." He added, "At no time did anyone suggest a court order should not be followed."
In a statement posted on X, DOJ said Bove's actions were consistent with the administration's mandate to enforce immigration laws. "Emil Bove has been a relentless advocate for the enforcement of our immigration laws and the removal of violent killers, terrorist gang leaders, and child predators," the department said.
