FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old Afghan permanent resident from Fort Worth, Texas, was deported from the United States after being designated an "alien terrorist" by the Justice Department. The deportation marked the first case brought before the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, a specialized judicial body that had not received any petitions prior to July.

Zada conceded that she is an alien terrorist and waived her right to appeal the removal order. She agreed to be deported by August 20, and the United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court issued an order of removal on that date, which was unsealed after her return to her country of origin.

The Justice Department accused Zada of being an alien terrorist in proceedings where targets are not permitted to review the classified evidence against them. Individuals subject to these proceedings are also barred from legally challenging how the evidence was collected by the government. The court allows the government to deport noncitizens when case information is classified and cannot be made public for national security reasons.

Zada has never been charged with a crime. According to court filings, she did not speak English and could not read or write. The Justice Department shared half a terabyte of documents with Zada's lawyers during the proceedings.

Zada's son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, were prosecuted and convicted for plotting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting on Election Day in 2024. Abdullah Haji Zada pleaded guilty to obtaining firearms to support a terrorist organization and was sentenced to 15 years in prison in November. Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi pleaded guilty to conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group.

Tawhedi previously worked as a security guard for an American military installation in Afghanistan. Prosecutors stated Tawhedi ordered AK-47 rifles, liquidated family assets, and bought one-way tickets for his wife and child to travel to Afghanistan. Zada was arrested in July at her home in Fort Worth, Texas.

Attorney General Todd Blanche described the outcome as a victory for national security. "This landmark case, resulting in the prompt removal of this alien terrorist to her country of origin, is a win for national security and the rule of law," Blanche said. He added that those who support and condone terrorism should not be living in the United States, and this first-ever case before the ATRC shows how the Department will use every tool at its disposal to protect our country.

Why It Matters

The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was created by Congress in 1996 but had not received any petitions prior to this case. The court is composed of five federal judges from different districts appointed by the U.S. chief justice. This proceeding represents the first use of the statutory mechanism designed to handle deportation cases involving classified national security information.

The case shows the procedural distinctions between criminal prosecution and administrative removal under the Alien Terrorist Removal Court framework. While Zada's family members faced criminal charges and convictions in federal district court, Zada herself was removed through a process that restricts access to evidence and limits legal challenges to its collection. The unsealing of the removal order after her departure provides public documentation of the court's first operational use.

Timeline

The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was created by Congress in 1996. Nazira Haji Zada's son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, were prosecuted and convicted for plotting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting on Election Day in 2024. Nazira Haji Zada agreed to be deported by August 20.

What's New

The United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court issued an order of removal for Nazira Haji Zada on Aug. 20, which was unsealed after her return to her country of origin. Nazira Haji Zada appeared in open court for the first time on July 30, before ATRC Chief Judge Joan N. Ericksen, who later signed the removal order. An FBI memo dated July 15 stated it developed information that Nazira Haji Zada is an ISIS supporter who had her children pledge loyalty to the group.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that those who plot acts of terrorism against the United States have no place in our country. He added that we will find them, and we will use every lawful tool available to remove them. FBI Director Kash Patel said this is a historic and vitally important step in our work to protect the U.S. homeland from terrorism.

He noted that an individual who supported a plot by ISIS-sympathizing family members to commit an attack in America has paid the price for that.

How Sources Differ

The Justice Department alleged that Nazira Haji Zada supported the terror plot and worked to radicalize her children to support ISIS.