Justice Department attorneys will appear before Judge James Boasberg on Thursday to make its case for why the Trump administration did not violate his orders halting the use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans the government has accused of being part of a gang.

In a significant legal blow to the Trump administration’s immigration agenda, a federal judge has slammed the brakes on a controversial deportation policy that allowed the deportation of migrants to countries where they had no prior connection — without first giving them a chance to challenge their removal in court.