{
  "id": 7809425,
  "title": "Forgotten US court of 'secrecy' could mean more deportations",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/forgotten-us-court-of-secrecy-could-mean-more-deportations",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-16T15:06:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "DW News",
    "slug": "dw-news",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/forgotten-us-court-of-secrecy-could-mean-more-deportations/a-79291125?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Since 1996, approximately 4.5 million individuals have been deported from the United States. Until recently, none of these cases involved the Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC). Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old Afghan woman living in Texas with permanent residency, is now returning to her homeland after conceding she is an alien terrorist and waiving her appeal of the removal order. This marks a significant win for national security and the rule of law, according to US Attorney General Todd Blanche.\n\nHowever, Zada's public defenders argue that the case shouldn't be seen as an endorsement of the court's legitimacy. The ATRC, established in 1996 following the Oklahoma City bombing, is designed to handle non-U.S. citizens facing terrorism-related charges where evidence is confidential or related to national security. Law professor Hiroshi Motomura from UCLA suggests that the Trump administration is using the ATRC as a deportation tool.\n\nThe court's process is complex and secretive, requiring a lower standard of evidence than usual. While the government must demonstrate probable cause and show why standard deportation procedures pose a national security risk, the defendant and their attorneys are not privy to the evidence against them. This raises concerns about due process, as Motomura argues that such a court violates constitutional rights.\n\nZada's lawyers contend that dragging lawful permanent residents into court without disclosing evidence is unconstitutional. They express confidence that the ATRC will be struck down as unconstitutional. Given the Trump administration's zero-tolerance policy on immigration and its use of deportation to various countries, it is likely that another case will be brought before the ATRC in the future, potentially impacting justice and due process.",
  "summary": "The use of a secretive and long dormant court in the deportation of a woman from the US could have significant consequences. The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was just used for the first time in its 30-year history.",
  "key_points": [
    "ATRC, established in 1996, handles non-U.S. citizens with terrorism-related charges.",
    "US Attorney General Todd Blanche views ATRC as a tool for national security and rule of law.",
    "ATRC's secretive process raises concerns about due process and constitutional rights."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Top Stories)",
        "title": "Forgotten US court of 'secrecy' could mean more deportations",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/forgotten-us-court-of-secrecy-could-mean-more-deportations-7814376",
        "published": "2026-09-16T15:06:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}