AZ Rep Eli Crane Cosponsors Impeachment Articles Filed Against Judge Boasberg

U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ-2) has joined three other Arizona Republicans in backing a House resolution to impeach U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, accusing the Washington, D.C. jurist of “abuse of power” in cases affecting border enforcement and the Trump administration’s immigration authority.

Crane announced his support in a post to X, writing, “I’ve cosponsored. Let’s get it done this time.”

I’ve cosponsored.

Let’s get it done this time. https://t.co/B1xlSGhvIP

— Rep. Eli Crane (@RepEliCrane) November 4, 2025

The move places him among 22 Republican lawmakers who have signed onto House Resolution 229, introduced March 18, 2025, by Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX-26). The measure seeks to remove Boasberg for allegedly obstructing lawful deportations and undermining executive authority in immigration policy.

He followed his initial comment on Wednesday, saying, “Agree. We have a chance to fix that with @RepBrandonGill‘s Articles of Impeachment against radical activist Judge James Boasberg. Urge your representative to sign.”

Crane’s cosponsorship, recorded the day the bill was introduced, joins those of fellow Arizona Republicans Andy Biggs (R-AZ-5) and Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ8), who added their names March 21, according to the official congressional record. The resolution remains in the House Judiciary Committee.

Boasberg, the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, has drawn criticism from conservatives for rulings viewed as limiting Trump-era immigration enforcement. In March 2025, he issued a temporary injunction blocking deportations of Venezuelan nationals linked to the Tren de Aragua criminal network under the Alien Enemies Act, citing Fifth Amendment due process concerns, according to Reuters. Supporters of the impeachment resolution argue that the decision overstepped statutory authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act and curtailed presidential powers.

In announcing his support, Biggs described Boasberg’s record as “judicial overreach” and said impeachment was a constitutional remedy for such conduct. 

“We cannot stand by while activist judges who incorrectly believe they have more authority than the duly-elected President of the United States, impose their own political agenda on the American people,” said Congressman Biggs, adding:

“I have cosponsored resolutions to impeach Judge Boasberg. His removal from office via impeachment, however, will undoubtedly be blocked by Democrats in the Senate, since it requires a two-thirds majority. My resolution, on the other hand, asserts, pursuant to Article III, Section 1, that rogue judges may be removed the same way we confirm them—by a simple majority.”

As of early November, zero Democrats and zero California representatives appear among the cosponsors. Passage in the House would require a simple majority vote; conviction in the Senate would require a two-thirds majority—an unlikely outcome.

For Crane, a former Navy SEAL representing Arizona’s 2nd District, the move aligns with his re-election focus on border security and judicial restraint. The effort also highlights a coordinated stance within Arizona’s GOP delegation, which has repeatedly united on impeachment-related and immigration-enforcement measures this year.

Appointed by President Barack Obama in 2011, Boasberg has not publicly commented on the impeachment effort. Legal experts note that removing a federal judge through impeachment is rare—the last successful case occurred in 2010—and often serves more as a political statement than a practical outcome.

Still, the resolution reflects a growing appetite within the Republican conference to challenge judicial activism that constrains the executive branch’s ability to enforce immigration law.