Washington: A federal judge in the United States has found probable cause to hold former President Donald Trump’s administration in criminal contempt of court, following its alleged defiance of an order to halt deportation flights to El Salvador.

U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg ruled on Wednesday that the administration may have wilfully violated a court order instructing officials to turn back planes carrying deportees. The judge warned that unless the government acts to "purge" its contempt, he may refer the matter for prosecution.

Boasberg said the administration could remedy the breach by returning to U.S. custody those individuals who were deported to a notorious El Salvador prison, giving them the opportunity to legally challenge their removal from the country.

The White House has said it will appeal the ruling.

The development significantly raises the stakes in the ongoing legal battles surrounding immigration enforcement policies and may result in senior officials facing criminal proceedings if corrective action is not taken.

This ruling comes amid several other legal and political developments involving the Trump administration.

Two U.S. law professors, Gabor Rona and Lisa Davis, also filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in a Manhattan federal court challenging sanctions imposed on the International Criminal Court (ICC). They argue the sanctions infringe upon their First Amendment rights, as they have provided legal services to ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan and intend to continue doing so.

The sanctions were introduced following an executive order signed by Trump earlier this year, criticising the ICC for issuing arrest warrants for Israeli leaders over alleged war crimes in Gaza. Khan was subsequently added to a sanctions list, barring him from business dealings with U.S. nationals and restricting his travel to the United States.

Elsewhere, Trump addressed Christian leaders at an Easter dinner in the White House, focusing on religious themes and denouncing the global persecution of Christians. He also highlighted the creation of a Department of Justice task force to address anti-Christian bias.

Meanwhile, Trump has nominated Jay Clayton, former chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to serve as interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. The move has sparked a procedural dispute with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who has pledged to block the nomination using a Senate rule that allows home-state senators to oppose judicial appointments.