Judge says US government didn’t follow court order on deportations

WASHINGTON — A federal judge says the White House violated a court order on deportations to third countries with a flight linked to the chaotic nation of South Sudan.

The Trump administration says it expelled eight immigrants convicted of violent crimes in the United States but refused to reveal where they would end up.

Judge Brian E. Murphy in Boston said the eight migrants aboard the plane were not given a meaningful opportunity to object that the deportation could put them in danger. He ordered a new set of interviews with the migrants, either back in the U.S. or abroad.

Before Wednesday’s hearing, administration officials accused “activist judges” of advocating the release of dangerous criminals.

Justice Department moves to cancel police reform settlements

MINNEAPOLIS — The Justice Department has moved to cancel settlements with Minneapolis and Louisville, Kentucky, that called for an overhaul of policing following the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. The department announced the steps Wednesday.

Minneapolis in January approved a consent decree with the federal government in the final days of the Biden administration to overhaul its training and use-of-force policies under court supervision. The agreement required approval from a federal court. But the Trump administration told the court it doesn’t intend to proceed.

The administration also announced it’s retracting the findings of Justice Department investigations into six other police departments that the Biden administration had accused of civil rights violations.

Defense Department accepts Boeing 747 from Qatar for Trump’s use

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has accepted a gifted Boeing 747 from Qatar for President Donald Trump to use as Air Force One.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Wednesday that the department will “work to ensure proper security measures” on the aircraft to make it safe for use by the president. He said the plane was accepted “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.”

Trump has defended the gift as a way to save tax dollars. Others have raised concerns about the aircraft being a violation of the Constitution’s prohibition on foreign gifts. They also have noted the need to retrofit the plane to meet security requirements.