It’s not every day that a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court steps into the political arena to rebuke a sitting president—especially one from the same party that appointed him. But that’s exactly what happened when Chief Justice John Roberts responded to President Trump’s call to impeach U.S. District Judge James Boasberg. Trump’s demand came after Boasberg ordered the Trump administration to halt the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members from the notorious Tren de Aragua.

Now, let me start by saying this: I understand where Trump is coming from. He was elected to protect Americans from dangerous criminals, and Tren de Aragua is one of the most brutal, organized crime groups coming out of Venezuela. These aren’t just your run-of-the-mill troublemakers—they’re hardened criminals involved in extortion, drug trafficking, kidnapping, and murder. Nobody in their right mind wants them roaming freely on American soil. Trump’s intention to deport them is not just reasonable—it’s absolutely necessary.

But good intentions don’t justify bad methods. And that’s where Trump got it wrong. Instead of using the proper legal channel—the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)—he opted for the Alien Enemy Act (AEA), a law meant for wartime and enemy aliens. Venezuela may be a crumbling dictatorship run by a tyrant, but we’re not formally at war with them. This legal misstep gave Judge Boasberg no choice but to rule against the deportation order.

Why Chief Justice Roberts Got It Right

When Trump fired off on social media, calling Judge Boasberg a “Radical Left Lunatic” and demanding his impeachment, Chief Justice Roberts responded with a rare but firm statement: “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.”

And Roberts is right. The Founding Fathers designed impeachment to be a safeguard against corruption and serious misconduct, not a political weapon to remove judges who hand down rulings that politicians dislike. If every unfavorable decision sparked an impeachment, we’d have a revolving door of judges, and judicial independence would be a distant memory.

Trump may be frustrated—and understandably so—but his reaction is shortsighted and, frankly, reckless. Just because Democrats have been busy undermining the judiciary by calling for court-packing or branding conservative justices as illegitimate doesn’t mean Republicans should take the same low road. They’re supposed to be the party that respects the rule of law. If they sacrifice that principle just to score a political win, they’re no better than the liberals who want to reshape the courts to fit their agenda.

Republicans Should Be the Party of Law and Order

Conservatives need to rise above the pettiness of the left. Republicans should be the party that respects due process, even when it doesn’t go their way. It’s crucial that we maintain the integrity of the judiciary because it’s one of the last bastions of balance in our government. If we start impeaching judges for every ruling that doesn’t suit our fancy, we’re no better than those who threaten to pack the Supreme Court when they don’t get their way.

The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board nailed it when they warned: “If impeachment is the remedy for every adverse judicial ruling, we wouldn’t have a judiciary left.” And that’s the truth. Whether you agree with Judge Boasberg or not, he didn’t act out of misconduct or corruption—he acted according to his understanding of the law. You don’t impeach judges for interpreting statutes differently than you’d like. That’s not just unwise; it’s downright dangerous.

Trump’s Real Mistake: Misusing the AEA

Now, Trump claims he’s just doing what the voters wanted him to do—deport violent criminals. Fair enough. But that doesn’t give him license to bypass the law. The Alien Enemy Act (AEA) is meant to authorize the president to detain or deport citizens of hostile nations during wartime. Venezuela may be a hot mess, but it’s not our wartime enemy. Trump should have stuck to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which provides the legal framework for deporting criminals and gang members regardless of their nationality or their home country’s diplomatic status.

Judge Boasberg wasn’t siding with criminals—he was simply upholding the law as it’s written. If Trump wants to deport these gang members—and he absolutely should—he needs to follow the right legal process. A misstep in the legal strategy doesn’t warrant impeachment of the judge who caught it.

The Path Forward: Appeal, Don’t Impeach

Robert Reich from Substack correctly pointed out that “the appropriate response for an administration that doesn’t like the outcome of a legal dispute is to appeal it.” If Trump genuinely believes his interpretation of the AEA was sound, he should appeal the decision and present his case before a higher court. Let the appeals process work as intended. That’s what the judicial system is for.

Acting out of frustration and calling for impeachment is not leadership—it’s reactionary. If Republicans want to maintain their credibility as the party of law and order, they need to stand firm on principles, not political expediency. Even when it’s hard. Even when it doesn’t yield the instant gratification of “owning the libs” or proving a point.

Principled Conservatism Requires Restraint

We can’t afford to be hypocrites. We can’t claim to value constitutional norms while undermining them when they don’t suit us. That’s not just bad politics—it’s bad for the country. As Christians, we’re called to act with integrity and wisdom. Proverbs 16:32 says, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”

Being reactionary and vindictive doesn’t make us strong—it makes us impulsive and foolish. Real strength is found in principled decision-making and disciplined leadership. Trump’s instincts to protect Americans are good, but his execution in this case was flawed. Instead of doubling down on a mistake, he should acknowledge it, recalibrate his approach, and move forward using the proper legal avenues.

A Final Thought

Republicans and Christian conservatives should never lose sight of the bigger picture. If we allow the judiciary to become a political battleground where every adverse decision leads to impeachment threats, we’re no longer upholding the Constitution—we’re undermining it. Let’s hold firm to our principles and advocate for law and order the right way.

We can be tough on crime and uncompromising on public safety without compromising the rule of law. Let’s make sure that when we fight, we’re fighting the right way—legally, ethically, and with the long-term good of the nation in mind.