NOT GOOD

A Trump-Appointed Judge’s Betrayal of America

I’ve voted for Donald Trump three times, and I think he is the best president of my lifetime, but there is one thing he is really bad at doing: Trump’s judge-picking skills are a disaster, and U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr.’s recent ruling in South Texas proves it. This Trump appointee blocked the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members—suspected Tren de Aragua (TdA) thugs—under the Alien Enemies Act. It’s a gut punch to every American who wants safety and sanity at our borders.

Rodriguez’s decision is judicial cowardice. The Supreme Court greenlit Trump’s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport these suspected gang members, ruling 5-4 that challenges belong in Texas, not D.C. Yet Rodriguez, in the Southern District of Texas, halted deportations from El Valle Detention Center, shielding Venezuelans accused of ties to TdA—a gang labeled a foreign terrorist organization, linked to kidnapping, extortion, and murder. Rodriguez, handpicked by Trump, decided they deserve a cozy stay in Texas while their cases drag on.

The Alien Enemies Act isn’t a relic. Trump invoked it in March to fast-track the removal of illegal Venezuelan migrants suspected of gang activity. The Supreme Court backed him, and 27 states supported the deportations. Attorney General Pam Bondi called it “modern-day warfare” against narco-terrorists. Yet Rodriguez, with Clinton-appointed Judge Alvin Hellerstein in New York, slammed the brakes, demanding “adequate notice” for these alleged criminals. Notice? For a farewell party before they’re shipped to El Salvador’s mega-prisons?

Rodriguez isn’t alone. Other Trump-appointed judges have betrayed him. Judge Carl Nichols blocked Trump’s USAID paid leave plan, siding with bureaucrats. Judge Stephanie Gallagher ordered the return of a deported Venezuelan, citing due process. Judge Gregory Katsas rejected Trump’s presidential immunity claim in January 6 lawsuits. Even Trump’s Supreme Court picks—Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett—have stabbed him in the back. These justices, meant to be conservative anchors, often wobble when it counts.

I’m livid, and you should be too. Rodriguez and his ilk side with the ACLU and Soros-linked activists over the American people. Polls show 64% of Americans, including 72% of Hispanics, back deporting TdA members. But these Trump judges prioritize legal niceties over national security. The FBI warns Venezuelan officials may use TdA to target dissidents. These aren’t migrants; they’re a threat.

Trump’s judicial picks too often crumble or reveal liberal leanings. His batting average is abysmal, and rulings like Rodriguez’s undermine his mandate. America needs judges who uphold the law, not coddle suspected gangsters. Trump must stop picking duds. Until he does, we’ll keep getting betrayed by those he put on the bench.