The Department of Justice on Friday asked a federal appeals court to remove U.S. District Judge James Boasberg from an ongoing case over the administrations invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to deport members of Venezuelan gangs.

Baosberg has planned contempt hearings over the administration's response to his orders, despite the Supreme Court previously shutting down his initial stays. The DOJ made its request to remove him in a filing to the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

"This long-running saga never should have begun; should not have continued at all after this Court’s last intervention; and certainly should not be allowed to escalate into the unseemly and unnecessary interbranch conflict that it now imminently portends," the DOJ wrote in its filing. "This Court should therefore again grant mandamus relief, this time foreclosing any further inquiry. The Court should also order the case to be reassigned given the strong appearance that the district judge is engaged in a pattern of retaliation and harassment, and has developed too strong a bias to preside over this matter impartially."

"By separate motion, Defendants also request a stay pending resolution of this mandamus petition, including an emergency administrative stay to prevent next week’s hearings, which are otherwise scheduled to begin on Monday morning," the filing continued.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.