WASHINGTON (September 15, 2026) – The Trump administration has activated the Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC) for the first time since it was established in 1996. This court allows for rapid deportation of foreign nationals deemed by the court to be “alien terrorists,” along with their immediate family members.
The Justice Department deported Nazira Haji Zada, a lawful permanent resident originally from Afghanistan, after she was determined to be an “alien terrorist” according to court documents. Haji Zada supported a plan by her son and son-in-law to carry out an Islamic State-inspired mass shooting around Election Day in 2024. Her son and son-in-law were previously arrested in connection with the plot.
For more analysis on these developments, please consider Aram Gavoor, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professorial Lecturer in Law and Professor (by courtesy) at the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy & Public Administration at the George Washington University Law School. Gavoor is an internationally recognized scholar in constitutional law, national security, American administrative law, artificial intelligence, and federal courts.
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-GW-