Soliman Family Deportation Blocked: Another Great Moment in American Law

Shocked face time: A Biden-appointed federal judge has blocked the deportation of the Colorado firebomber’s family. The judge clearly recognizes the constitutional requirement of a full trial with witnesses to ascertain the actual expiration date of their initial visit (2/26/23) and the expiration of his work visa (9/23) while his asylum request was processed and denied. Obviously, the government should bear the burden of proving that the dates on both of the relevant documents are as printed. Presumably, the person or persons who issued the document should be called as witnesses and made to testify that they intended to write those dates on those documents. If they do not recall actually doing so, I ask you, Your Honor, does that not create reasonable doubt and grounds for permanent residency?

In fact, we don’t even know what specific legal grounds are being offered for opposing deportation other than a claim of “irreparable harm,” even though that risk was an inherent, agreed-upon aspect of temporary status. According to some sources, an immigration attorney with a previous 4-month suspension of her license to practice before the immigration board for misconduct in immigration matters appeared in Judge Gallagher’s court as a “friend of the court” (not even as counsel to the family) to move to block the deportation. What the…?

The other line of argument publicly offered is that the family is being punished for the sins of the father. This too-clever-by-half line of reasoning tries to obscure the fact that they are, in fact, illegally present while also inventing a new doctrine that the law cannot be enforced if the government may be thinking mean thoughts while doing so.

If Mrs. Soliman were to claim that she and the kids were victims of physical abuse, that could create grounds for extending her stay. Although, as a devout Muslim who practices violent jihad, it would be unthinkable for him to beat his wife. [Pause for snickers to subside.] This claim would, of course, be undercut if the allegedly abusive husband is not sent to the old country but instead locked up in a federal prison where he can do no further harm, obviating the need to block simultaneous deportation.

I think the Federal Judicial Conference (Chief Justice Roberts runs it) should impose a rule that district court judges who are completely out of line and get overruled and chastised by higher courts be given a minimum 6-month training wheels status--all rulings must be approved by a senior judge assigned to oversee the miscreant, and his/her caseload limited to what can be more easily supervised. No trials. That could have a salutary effect on demigods in robes who think God wants them to make policy and fight political battles.