The Justice Department filed its first case in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court approximately two months before September 11, 2026.
Posted by The Lawfare Podcast, Checked
- Sources
- 4 support
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 90%
The Lawfare PodcastSep 14, 2026
The DOJ's first ATRC application was filed July 15, 2026, about 58 days before September 11, 2026, which fits 'approximately two months before.' The DOJ press release and CBS News both give the July 15 filing date, and the post's 'about two months ago' is consistent with this timing. The claim does not depart from the passage.
What was said
… So, it was created in 1996, and then for about 30 years, the Justice Department, for a number of bunch of reasons, just never really brought a case until about two months ago. It just so happened that after 30 years of being asleep, the Justice Department kind of remembered that the court existed, and it filed its very first case, which I got really excited about because I really love wonky courts. And we learned a few weeks after that, in a public hearing, that the case what had to do with a woman whose son and son-in-law, one of whom has already pled guilty, and the other whom, her …
The Lawfare Podcast · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. The DOJ press release says the application to remove Zada, certified by Attorney General Todd Blanche, was filed on July 15, and calls it the first case ever brought before the ATRC.[1]
Supports. CBS News reports that the Justice Department's first application seeking removal of an 'alien terrorist' was filed on July 15, 2026, after the court had existed only on paper.[2]
Supports. The Hill and NPR both describe the case as the first-ever ATRC case and say Zada was arrested in July, which is consistent with a mid-July filing.[3][4]
Context. The post's 'about two months ago' was said on a September 14 broadcast, so the claim's reference point of September 11 differs slightly, but the July 15 filing is approximately two months before either date.[1][2]
Sources
4 sources: 1 primary, 2 tier 2, 1 tier 1
- 1Department of Justice Removes Alien Terrorist in First Use of ...justice.gov · primary source · cited for: supports, context
- 2www.cbsnews.com › news › doj-secretive-court-alienDOJ tests limits of secretive, never-before-used court to ...cbsnews.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports, context
- 3Justice Department announces first-ever Alien Terrorist ...thehill.com · tier 1 · cited for: supports
- 4Alien Terrorist Removal Court holds first-ever casenpr.org · tier 2 · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was created in 1996.True
- The first case in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court involved a woman accused of conspiring with her son and son-in-law to commit a mass shooting on Election Day 2024.True
- An Afghan legal permanent resident was deported less than 2 months after a case was filed in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court.True
- The removal order for the Afghan legal permanent resident was issued on August 20, 2026, or several days after that.True
- The Department of Justice filed a criminal complaint against James Comey on October 5, 2026.True