A legal body created decades ago but never previously convened held its first hearing this week, as the government moved to deport an Afghan woman over alleged ties to ISIS connected to a plot targeting Election Day.'s voters. . NBC News headlined it "‘Alien Terrorist Removal Court,’ created in 1996, holds first-ever hearing". NPR headlined it "Alien Terrorist Removal Court holds its first-ever hearing after 30 years".
The case centers on claims that the woman is related to two men accused of planning a mass casualty attack on voters, with officials describing her as the matriarch of a family sympathetic to the group. ""The allegations in this case show the matriarch of an ISIS-sympathizing family aiding in a plot to launch a mass casualty attack on American voters on Election Day. The Department\u2019s application in this court makes clear that terrorists have no place in the United States of America," acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement."1, Fox News said.
The proceeding also drew attention to the rarely invoked legal avenue being used by the current administration. Fox News headlined it "Trump admin invokes 30-year dormant terror court as it seeks to deport Afghan woman tied to Election Day plot". Al Jazeera English headlined it "Trump administration appeals to never-before-used court for deportation".
A public defender representing the woman argued that the process being used against her amounted to a violation of constitutional protections. ""This entire scheme is in violation of due process and unconstitutional," he said.", NBC News said. ""This entire scheme is in violation of due process and is unconstitutional," said public defender Matthew Farley."2, NPR said.
The hearing was also described as part of a broader effort to sidestep standard legal safeguards. Al Jazeera English reported: "Critics say that Thursday\u2019s hearing of the Alien Terrorist Removal Court is yet another way the Trump administration is seeking to circumvent due process protections."3
