Trump Revives Secret Court for Deporting Alleged Terrorists

WHO:

CNN - Judge Joan Ericksen is a senior judge on the US District Court of Minnesota and is presiding over the new case in the ATRC.

CNN - Chief Justice John Roberts assigns judges to the ATRC, who serve staggered 5-year terms and must come from different circuits.

CNN - Judge Joan Ericksen indicated that the government could benefit from "more thoughtful consideration" regarding its case.

CNN - Judge Joan Ericksen has been Chief Judge of the ATRC since 2025.

CNN - The Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC) is involved in handling deportation cases against alleged alien terrorists.

CNN - Judge Joan Ericksen is the Chief Judge of the ATRC and is presiding over the new case.

CNN - Andrew Arthur, a former top attorney at the Justice Department’s Immigration and Naturalization Service, provided insights on the ATRC.

CNN - Steve Vladeck, a legal analyst, commented on the implications of the ATRC's use.

CNN - J. Wells Dixon, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, discussed the due process concerns related to the ATRC.

WHAT:

CNN - The ATRC has never been used before the Trump administration's recent application, marking the first-ever case filed with the court.

CNN - The Trump administration's application to the ATRC was filed under seal, indicating a high level of confidentiality.

CNN - The Trump administration's application to the ATRC was filed quietly, with submissions under seal.

CNN - The ATRC is designed to provide a forum for the U.S. attorney general to deport resident aliens who are likely terrorists without disclosing state secrets.

CNN - The ATRC has been dormant since its creation in 1996, with no cases filed until the Trump administration's recent application.

CNN - The ATRC allows the government to keep secret its reasons for deportation, limiting the information available to the individual being deported.

CNN - The law requires that ATRC proceedings happen as “expeditiously as practicable” and forecloses raising asylum claims.

CNN - The appeal process for the ATRC is faster, requiring appeals to be filed within 20 days of the ruling.

CNN - The ATRC has been reactivated for the first time since its creation in 1996, with a case filed by the Trump administration.

CNN - Judge Joan Ericksen indicated she was not persuaded by the government’s initial arguments and required additional information to be submitted.

CNN - The ATRC has been reactivated for the first time since its creation in 1996, with a case filed by the Trump administration.

CNN - The ATRC allows the government to keep its reasons for deportation secret, limiting the information available to the individual being deported.

CNN - The law requires that ATRC proceedings happen as “expeditiously as practicable” and forecloses raising asylum claims.

CNN - The appeal process for the ATRC is faster, requiring appeals to be filed within 20 days of the ruling.

WHERE:

CNN - The ATRC is located in the federal courthouse building in Washington, DC.

WHEN:

CNN - Judge Joan Ericksen's order referenced a hearing that took place on July 16.

CNN - Judge Joan Ericksen required the administration to file additional information by Wednesday.

CNN - Judge Joan Ericksen gave the administration until Wednesday to file additional information.

CNN - The Trump administration filed its application in July.

CNN - A public filing in the case includes a July 16 order from Judge Joan Ericksen.

CNN - Judge Joan Ericksen gave the administration until Wednesday to file additional information.

CNN - The Trump administration filed its application in July.

CNN - A public filing in the case includes a July 16 order from Judge Joan Ericksen.

WHY:

CNN - The ATRC was established to allow the deportation of alleged terrorists without disclosing state secrets, which has raised constitutional questions.

CNN - The ATRC's procedures have raised questions about their constitutionality, which may explain why previous administrations avoided using the court.

CNN - The ATRC was established to allow the deportation of alleged terrorists without disclosing state secrets that could pose a national security risk.

CNN - The Trump administration's use of the ATRC indicates a willingness to push legal boundaries regarding deportation procedures.

HOW:

CNN - The law allows the government to present its case in camera and ex parte, meaning only the judge sees the full evidence, which is withheld from the individual being deported.

CNN - The law allows the government to present its case in camera and ex parte, meaning only the judge sees the full evidence.

CNN - The law requires that the proceedings happen as “expeditiously as practicable.”

CNN - The government can present its case in camera and ex parte, meaning only the judge sees the full evidence.

CNN - Legal permanent residents are provided a special attorney who can access classified evidence but cannot share details with their client.

CNN - The law requires that the proceedings happen as “expeditiously as practicable.”

CNN - The government can present its case in camera and ex parte, meaning only the judge sees the full evidence.

CNN - Legal permanent residents are provided a special attorney who can access classified evidence but cannot share details with their client.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 11:29 UTC)

Judge Joan Ericksen, a senior judge on the US District Court of Minnesota, is presiding over a groundbreaking case in the newly established Administrative Terrorism Review Court, or ATRC, which has never been used until the Trump administration's recent application. This application was filed under seal, emphasizing its confidential nature, and the ATRC was created to facilitate the deportation of alleged terrorists while keeping state secrets protected, raising significant constitutional concerns. The law permits the government to present its case privately, with only the judge reviewing the full evidence, which remains hidden from the individual facing deportation.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 07:48 UTC)

Judge Joan Ericksen has suggested that the government could benefit from "more thoughtful consideration" regarding its case involving the Trump administration's application to the ATRC, which was filed quietly with submissions under seal. The ATRC is intended to provide a forum for the U.S. attorney general to deport resident aliens deemed likely terrorists without revealing state secrets, but its procedures have raised constitutional questions that may have deterred previous administrations from utilizing the court. Judge Ericksen has mandated that the administration submit additional information by Wednesday, as the law permits the government to present its case in camera and ex parte, meaning only the judge reviews the complete evidence.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 22:21 UTC)

The ATRC, which has been inactive since its establishment in 1996, is now in the spotlight due to an application filed by Trump’s administration earlier this month. This law allows the government to keep its reasons for deportation secret, limiting the information available to individuals facing deportation, while also requiring that proceedings occur as "expeditiously as practicable." Judge Joan Ericksen has given the administration until Wednesday to submit additional information, and the appeal process for the ATRC must be initiated within 20 days of the ruling.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 13:27 UTC)

The ATRC has been reactivated for the first time since its creation in 1996, with a case filed by Trump’s administration. Chief Judge Joan Ericksen, who has held her position since 2025, indicated she was not convinced by the government's initial arguments and has requested additional information to be submitted by Wednesday. The ATRC was established to facilitate the deportation of alleged terrorists while protecting sensitive state secrets that could jeopardize national security, and the law mandates that these proceedings occur as "expeditiously as practicable."

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 12:24 UTC)

The Alien Terrorist Removal Court, or ATRC, has been reactivated for the first time since its establishment in 1996, with a case filed by Trump’s administration. Chief Judge Joan Ericksen is overseeing the proceedings, which allow the government to keep deportation reasons secret and limit the information available to those facing deportation, while the appeal process must be initiated within 20 days of a ruling. Legal experts, including Andrew Arthur and J. Wells Dixon, have raised concerns about due process and the implications of the ATRC's operations, which are designed to handle cases involving alleged terrorists without disclosing sensitive state secrets.