A 47-year-old lawful permanent resident in Texas has been deported to Afghanistan following a secret federal proceeding. Nazira Haji Zada conceded she was an alien terrorist, marking the first time the long-dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court has been used since its creation in 1996.
An obscure federal court established three decades ago has concluded its first-ever case, resulting in the deportation of a 47-year-old Afghan woman to Afghanistan. Nazira Haji Zada, a lawful permanent resident living in Texas, agreed to leave the United States rather than continue litigating her case before the secretive tribunal.
Nazira Haji Zada and the Alien Terrorist Removal Court Proceedings
Federal authorities arrested Haji Zada in July at her Fort Worth home after an FBI memo alleged she supported an Islamic State-inspired plot. The Justice Department filed an application with the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, a specialized body created in 1996 to deport noncitizens when traditional legal processes cannot be used because underlying information is classified for national security reasons.
On July 30, Judge Joan Ericksen presided over the court’s inaugural hearing. Court filings concerning the case, including a removal order dated August 20, remained under seal until Haji Zada reached her destination. According to the Justice Department, the proceedings ended when she conceded that she is an alien terrorist and waived appeal of the removal order, terminating her previous status.
Family Terrorism Convictions in Oklahoma
Although Haji Zada was never charged with a criminal offense, federal investigators linked her to a foiled violent conspiracy. The Justice Department identified her as the mother and mother-in-law of two Afghan men convicted in Oklahoma of plotting an attack on Election Day in 2024.
An FBI memo dated July 15 stated that investigators developed information indicating Haji Zada had her children pledge loyalty to the Islamic State. One of those men, her son Abdullah Haji Zada, received a 15-year prison sentence in November and previously agreed to be removed from the U.S. upon release. Her son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, pleaded guilty to conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the terrorist group after ordering AK-47 rifles and liquidating family assets.
Defense Objections and Due Process Concerns
Public defenders representing Haji Zada initially mounted a challenge against the government’s efforts, arguing that the tribunal’s framework stripped defendants of basic constitutional safeguards. Under the court’s rules, targets of removal proceedings are barred from reviewing classified evidence or legally challenging how the government collected it.
Before her departure, prosecutors shared half a terabyte of documents with her legal team. However, her attorneys maintained that the process remained fundamentally flawed.
“Dragging lawful permanent residents into court but refusing to show them or their attorneys the evidence that will be used against them is a plain violation of due process. We are confident that the Alien Terrorist Removal Court will be struck down as unconstitutional as soon as a judge is asked to address the issue.”
Defense lawyers, via Los Angeles Times
Haji Zada’s attorneys emphasized that her decision to consent to removal should not be seen as an endorsement of this court’s legitimacy. Despite those objections, the swift resolution bypasses what would have been a protracted legal battle over the constitutional limits of the dormant court.
Government Reaction and National Security Implications
Federal officials praised the outcome as a win for national security and the rule of law. Attorney General Todd Blanche highlighted the broader enforcement message sent by the proceeding.
“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. 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.”
Todd Blanche, Attorney General
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin echoed that sentiment, stating that those who plot acts of terrorism against the United States have no place in our country and that authorities will utilize every lawful tool to remove them.
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