The Trump administration has taken a step that could revive a little-known federal court created nearly three decades ago as it continues expanding its immigration enforcement efforts.
The Alien Terrorist Removal Court, established by Congress in 1996 during the Clinton administration, was designed to review government requests to remove non-citizens accused of terrorist activity from the United States. According to Court Watch, the specialized court consists of five judges and has never received a removal application in the nearly 30 years since its creation.
That changed last week.
According to reports, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche submitted the court’s first known application under seal. A hearing took place Thursday, although the contents of the filing have not been made public.
Law Dork reported that the individual identified in the application is not notified before the government files its request. Under the statute establishing the court, the government must allege that the individual qualifies for removal based on terrorism-related grounds.
Because the application remains sealed, officials have not publicly identified the individual involved or disclosed the specific allegations.
The filing comes after the Trump administration designated several transnational criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations earlier this year.
In February 2025, the administration designated the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. Federal officials have argued that members of the group entered the United States illegally during the Biden administration and have been linked to violent crimes in multiple states.
That same month, the administration also designated MS-13 as a foreign terrorist organization, giving federal authorities additional legal tools to pursue members of the gang.
Supporters of the administration’s immigration agenda argue that the Alien Terrorist Removal Court provides another avenue for removing individuals accused of ties to terrorist organizations. According to Law Dork, proceedings before the court are intended to move on an expedited basis, with hearings generally conducted in public unless classified information requires additional protections.
