The Trump administration has activated the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, a little-known federal judicial body established under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 but never previously used in its three decades of existence. The Justice Department filed the court's first-ever case, marking a significant expansion of the legal tools being deployed in the administration's immigration enforcement campaign.

The court was created during the Clinton administration in the aftermath of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. It was designed to allow the government to seek deportation of noncitizens it designates as threats to national security using classified evidence that need not be fully disclosed to the person facing removal. Critics have long argued the structure raises serious due process concerns.

The proceedings before the court are conducted largely in secret, with a special advocate appointed to review classified material on behalf of the respondent, though that advocate cannot share the evidence's full contents with their client. The court consists of five federal district court judges designated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

The activation represents a notable legal escalation, as previous administrations across both parties opted not to use the court despite its availability. Legal advocates and civil liberties organizations have raised alarms about the lack of transparency and the limited ability of respondents to challenge the classified evidence used against them. The administration has defended the move as a necessary tool for removing individuals who pose genuine national security dangers.