Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, previously considered a potential nominee for Chief Justice by President George W. Bush, has become a vocal critic of the perceived erosion of constitutional order in the United States, despite his conservative background. His critique is set against the backdrop of a controversial deportation case involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia, which has exposed divisions within the Democratic Party regarding President Trump's immigration policies. Wilkinson's recent opinion for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, rejecting a Trump administration position, highlights the complexities of the current legal and political landscape and the shifting nature of political alliances.
