DOJ activates Alien Terrorist Removal Court for first time since 1996

Published Aug 5, 07:14 PM UTC

The U.S. Justice Department has activated the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, a specialized tribunal created in 1996 but never used until now, to deport Nazira Haji Zada, a legal permanent resident from Afghanistan accused of ISIS sympathies and involvement in a thwarted 2024 election terror plot. Zada's lawyers are challenging the court's constitutionality, arguing it violates due process by allowing the government to withhold classified evidence from the accused and using a lower standard of proof than criminal courts. The case could lead to years of litigation and potentially reach the Supreme Court. Prior administrations avoided using the court, relying on standard deportation procedures. The DOJ has built a website and electronic filing system for the court, signaling intent to use it further.