The Justice Department used a rarely invoked Alien Terrorist Removal Court to deport legal U.S. resident Nazira Haji Zada, 47, from Texas to Afghanistan in the first case of its kind. Haji Zada admitted supporting her son and son-in-law’s plan for an Islamic State-inspired mass shooting but was not charged criminally; instead, she faced civil proceedings with lower proof standards. The secretive court allows use of classified evidence that cannot be reviewed by defense attorneys, raising constitutional concerns about due process.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-13,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Alien Terrorist Removal Court deports legal US resident to Afghanistan in first-ever case
asserted
Court → deport → case
For the first time, the Justice Department brought a case before a decades-old but until now unused special court to deport a legal US resident to Afghanistan after she conceded to being an "alien terrorist," court records show.
asserted
records → bring → Afghanistan
Prosecutors alleged Nazira Haji Zada, 47, originally from Afghanistan, supported a plan by her son and son-in-law to commit an Islamic State-inspired mass shooting on Election Day in 2024, according to court documents.
uncertain
Zada → allege → documents
Both men have already been charged and will be deported following their release from prison.
asserted
men → charge → prison
Haji Zada's son, Abdullah Haji Zada, 19, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
asserted
son → sentence → prison
Haji Zada was arrested in July at her home in Fort Worth, Texas, and had an initial hearing in late July.
asserted
Zada → arrest → July
Instead of charging Haji Zada in the criminal justice system, leaders at the Justice Department launched the first-ever civil proceedings at the Alien Terrorist Removal Court.
asserted
leaders → charge → Court
The secretive court allows for a lower standard of proof to remove a person from American soil.
asserted
standard → allow → soil
Congress created the court in 1996 to make it easier for the DOJ to use classified evidence, that they say poses a risk to national security, to deport people.
asserted
they → create → people
In unsealed court filings dated Aug. 20, Haji Zada waived her rights to challenge the detention and agreed to the deportation.
asserted
Zada → unseal → deportation
Senior U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen ordered her removal the same day.
asserted
Ericksen → order → removal
Haji Zada's admission will not be used in criminal proceedings, and the documents were released to the public on Friday.
asserted
documents → use → Friday
Haji Zada's court appointed attorneys, Matthew Farley and Mary Manning Petras, contested the constitutionality of the case in court filings, adding that they weren't permitted to review evidence.
asserted
they → appoint → evidence
The evidence supporting the removal remains classified, the government said in court documents, because it poses a risk to national security.
asserted
it → support → security
Haji Zada's attorneys said in a statement that their client's choice to consent to the removal "should not be seen as an endorsement of this court's legitimacy.
asserted
choice → say → legitimacy
"
"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," the statement said.
asserted
statement → drag → 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."
asserted
judge → strike → issue
Haji Zada came to the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident in 2018.
asserted
Zada → come → 2018
Her husband was employed at the Bagram Air Base, the last major U.S. base in Afghanistan until it was turned over to Afghan forces in 2021, from 2009 to 2016.
asserted
it → employ → 2016
As the family "matriarch," U.S. authorities alleged Haji Zada worked to "radicalize" her family and "formally pledged loyalty to ISIS."
asserted
Zada → allege → ISIS
The government also alleged she and her son-in-law "worked to indoctrinate her children with ISIS ideology and have them pledge loyalty to ISIS."
asserted
them → allege → ISIS
Prosecutors also said the family allegedly raised funds for the terrorist attack by selling off furniture, computers, a mobile phone, and two vehicles.
uncertain
family → say → furniture
They added that Haji Zada signed a contract to sell the family's home, and along with other female family members and young male family members, planned to move to an ISIS-controlled location before the attack, which she hid from her "unsuspecting husband."
asserted
she → add → husband
Her son and son-in-law would remain behind to commit the terrorist attack, court documents show.
asserted
documents → remain → attack
According to court records, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, Haji Zada's son-in-law, admitted that between June 2024 and October 2024, he conspired with at least one other person to purchase two AK-47 rifles, 500 rounds of ammunition and 10 magazines, with the goal of carrying out a mass-casualty attack.
uncertain
he → accord → attack
Court documents say Tawhedi communicated with an ISIS facilitator about his plan to buy the firearms for the plot on behalf of ISIS, "including asking the individual whether 500 rounds of ammunition would be sufficient.
asserted
rounds → say → ammunition
Tawhedi, 28, pled guilty to two terrorism-related charges.
asserted
Tawhedi → plead → charges
Attorney General Todd Blanche approved the government application before it went to the judge.
asserted
it → approve → judge
In a statement, Blanche said the use of the court shows "how the Department will use every tool at its disposal to protect our country."
asserted
Department → say → country
"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.
asserted
Blanche → result → law
