The administration of President Donald Trump deported hundreds of Tren de Aragua gang members to an infamous prison in El Salvador despite an injunction from a federal judge.

United States District Judge James Boasberg issued an order on Saturday barring the administration from deporting the gang members, but the planes were already in the air at the time of the order. The alleged criminals are currently in an infamous prison in El Salvador constructed by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to deter violent gang activity in the country.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement on Sunday that the administration did not “refuse to comply” with a court order since the mandate, which “had no lawful basis,” was issued after the gang members were already outside of the United States.

Another statement from the White House revealed that almost 300 gang members were arrested over the weekend by the Department of Homeland Security and then deported.

The release added that Tren de Aragua “is one of the most violent and ruthless terrorist gangs on planet earth” and that they “rape, maim, and murder for sport.” Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray were both assaulted and killed by Tren de Aragua gang members from Venezuela.

Trump wrote on social media that the gang members were allowed into the country “because of incompetent Democrat leadership” and thanked Bukele for detaining the alleged criminals.

The removal of the gang members comes as the Trump administration seeks to deport illegal aliens, especially those accused of crimes. The number of apprehensions at the southern border has meanwhile fallen to 8,300 per month as of February, the lowest level in decades.