Trump Sets an Example: Targets Attorney in Deportation Case

The U.S. Department of Justice is now seeking to impose financial sanctions against attorney Joshua Schroeder, who, without payment, attempted to prevent the deportation of a client from Laos.

The case, which reaches all the way to the White House, is seen by legal experts as a striking signal from the Trump administration that it intends to push back against lawyers challenging its immigration policies.

Schroeder—a Los Angeles solo practitioner specializing in immigration and intellectual property law—took on an urgent case in May: trying to save Vang Lor, a Laotian man with an old attempted murder conviction, from imminent removal.

In his efforts to halt the deportation, Schroeder referred in part to the administration’s sudden use of the rarely invoked Alien Enemies Act—a law from the 18th century that grants the president broad powers to expel foreign nationals under specific conditions.

Briefly, he managed to ground the plane. But what started as legal triage has since evolved into a potential career nightmare for the lawyer.

“A Signal Across the Bow”

According to the Justice Department, Schroeder acted in bad faith and persisted with false claims that his client faced deportation based on wartime legislation—even after repeated denials from authorities.

In a formal request to a federal court in Guam, the state is now demanding “significant monetary sanctions” against Schroeder for litigating “vexatiously”—that is, in an unnecessary and harassing manner.

“This is part of the playbook that’s already been announced,” says law professor Scott Cummings from UCLA. “This is not something you normally see the Justice Department do. It’s a signal across the bow.”

Trump himself signed a memorandum in March urging the Attorney General to punish lawyers and law firms that bring “frivolous and unreasonable” lawsuits against the state—especially in immigration cases.

“Pressure on the Little Guy”

Schroeder sees the case as a political move. In an interview, he said it feels like an attack on the entire legal profession—not just the elite:

“They’re able to go all the way down to the very bottom. That’s where I am—without meaning anything bad against myself,” he said. “It’s top to bottom. It’s not just about the big firms.”

He points out that he took the case pro bono and had only a few hours to act before his client risked being sent out of the country—a situation he believes justified the use of every legal tool available.

A Chilling Effect

While the case is not yet decided, many fear that the mere proposal of sanctions could have a chilling effect. Schroeder believes it could lead attorneys to avoid controversial cases that don’t pay—but that can mean everything to those involved.

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