DOJ Uses Alien Terrorist Removal Court for First Time Ever
The Department of Justice has made a significant move by employing the Alien Terrorist Removal Court for the first time. This decision comes in light of the need to deport an individual deemed a national security threat. The conversation surrounding this decision also highlights a thwarted plot for terrorism on Election Day, allegedly orchestrated by Afghan national Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi.
An exclusive report sheds light on the deportation of Amos Sheik Massaquoi, a former Liberian combatant. He is believed to have played a role in heinous acts including killings, torture, and the recruitment of child soldiers over the course of nearly two decades spent in the United States.
Authorities from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that Massaquoi, at 55 years old, was sent back to Liberia on August 11. His past allegedly includes serving as the chief bodyguard for Maj. Gen. Daniel Chea, a prominent figure in Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia.
ICE outlined that Massaquoi participated in various atrocities during Liberia’s civil wars, which spanned from 1989 to 2003. Frank Padula, the ICE Chicago Field Office Director, emphasized that individuals with confirmed records of human rights violations cannot expect to find refuge in the United States.
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Massaquoi initially entered the U.S. legally in August 2006 but was only permitted to stay until November of that year. He remained unlawfully until his arrest by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Maryland in August 2019 for overstaying his visa. Although he was released on bond shortly after, he was taken back into custody by ICE in April 2025 for failing to comply with his release conditions. An immigration judge subsequently ordered his removal.
Massaquoi’s background includes military training in China in 2004, which adds another layer to his concerning profile. The civil wars in Liberia resulted in the tragic loss of nearly 250,000 lives, primarily civilians, according to the United Nations.
Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia, was already convicted for his role in supporting rebel forces during the conflict and sentenced to 50 years in prison.
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Special Agent Akil Baldwin, in charge of HSI Maryland, stated that Massaquoi is accused of engaging in extreme violence, marked by severe crimes including torture and the exploitation of children for armed conflict. He asserted that individuals confirmed to have perpetrated such violence have no place in this country.
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The operation was bolstered by ICE’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, which monitors those suspected of committing atrocities who attempt to enter or stay in the U.S. Since 2003, this center has arrested over 520 individuals for violating human rights and has deported 1,178 suspects, with more than 415 individuals barred from entering the country.
Anyone with information regarding suspected human rights violators in the U.S. is encouraged to reach out to the ICE tip line or submit a report online.
