The Trump administration has filed the first-ever petition to the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, activating a body that has sat unused since its creation nearly three decades ago.
The Department of Justice submitted the petition on July 15, 2026, seeking the removal of an unnamed individual through a process derived from the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996. Although Congress established the court that same year, it had never received a case until this week.
Chief Judge Joan Ericksen held a hearing on July 16 and directed the Justice Department to supply additional information by July 22 before the proceedings can advance.