The Trump administration on Friday asked a federal appeals court to immediately block Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg’s planned contempt hearings and remove him from overseeing the case, escalating a monthslong clash over deportations carried out under the Alien Enemies Act.

The Justice Department‘s petition was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and urged judges to halt testimony scheduled to begin next week, arguing Boasberg had crossed constitutional lines and could no longer preside over the dispute impartially. A divided D.C. Circuit panel granted the administration’s request Friday afternoon, issuing an administrative stay to pause the proceedings and halting a planned hearing that was slated for Monday.