DOJ activates Alien Terrorist Removal Court for first time

Published Aug 5, 07:14 PM UTC

The U.S. Justice Department has activated the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, established 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 terror plot targeting the 2024 election. Zada has not been formally charged with a crime, and her lawyers are challenging the court's constitutionality, arguing it violates due process by allowing deportation under a lower standard than criminal conviction and permitting the government to withhold classified evidence from the accused. The case could lead to prolonged litigation potentially reaching the Supreme Court. The DOJ has stated it will use all available tools, including this court, to remove alien terrorists from the United States.