The DC Circuit of Appeals has just halted the contempt order by Judge Boasberg against the Trump administration. In the ruling they made clear this was not a ruling on the merits of the case, but wanted to provide time for the appeals court to consider the case.

Here’s more from The Hill:

A divided federal appeals court panel on Friday temporarily halted U.S. District Judge James Boasberg’s contempt proceedings against the Trump administration over its deportation flights to El Salvador last month.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit indicated its order is intended to provide “sufficient opportunity” for the court to consider the government’s appeal and “should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits of that motion.”

But for now, it prevents Boasberg from moving ahead with his efforts to hold administration officials in contempt. The judge on Wednesday found probable cause for contempt, calling the government’s refusal to turn around the March 15 deportation flights “a willful disregard” for the court’s order.

The three-judge D.C. Circuit panel split 2-1. The two Trump appointees, Judges Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao, ruled for the administration. Judge Cornelia Pillard, an appointee of former President Obama, dissented.

“In the absence of an appealable order or any clear and indisputable right to relief that would support mandamus, there is no ground for an administrative stay,” Pillard wrote in a brief explanation.

Boasberg, an Obama appointee, has drawn Trump’s ire ever since the judge last month blocked the president from using the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used, wartime law, to swiftly deport alleged Venezuelan gang members to an El Salvador megaprison.

Last week, the Supreme Court lifted the judge’s order, ruling the migrants must be afforded judicial review but that they need to file their legal challenges where they are physically detained. Boasberg has still endeavored to press ahead with contempt proceedings, since his order was in effect for some time before the high court lifted it.

And the D.C. Circuit’s ruling on Friday came just as Boasberg was thrust back into a new deportation flight battle.

The ruling landed within seconds of Boasberg wrapping an emergency hearing on a request from the American Civil Liberties Union to block what it says is a new, imminent wave of deportations to El Salvador.

While it’s not the win I was hoping for, it is something that I’m sure the Trump administration will appreciate and hopefully this doesn’t get reversed after they consider the case.