Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old lawful Green Card holder from Afghanistan residing in Fort Worth, Texas, became the first person to be deported under the Alien Terrorist Removal Court established by Congress in 1996. The court proceedings concluded on July 30 when Chief Judge Joan N Ericksen signed the removal order following Zada's admission that she is an alien terrorist, supporting a plot inspired by ISIS to carry out a mass shooting during Election Day 2024. Attorney General Todd Blanche praised this landmark case as a victory for national security and warned that those who support terrorism will face swift action from U.S. authorities.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In a first-ever case, the Alien Terrorist Removal Court ordered the deportation of Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old legal US resident from Afghanistan, in July. Established by Congress in 1996 to expedite the removal of suspected terrorists without revealing classified information, this secretive court allows for lower standards of proof compared to criminal proceedings. Prosecutors accused Haji Zada of supporting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting plot on Election Day 2024, planned by her son and son-in-law who are already in prison awaiting deportation after their convictions. Haji Zada's arrest occurred at her home in Fort Worth, Texas, where she was a lawful Green Card holder. The case highlights the US government’s use of specialized courts to combat terrorism threats within its borders.
Written for “Alien Terrorist Removal Court Case” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.65, but none of the 3 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 9097: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-14
47-year-old Afghan-origin Nazira Haji Zada became the first alien terrorist to be deported through the secret Alien Terrorist Removal Court which was established by Congress in 1996 to quickly remove suspected terrorists without revealed too much classified information in public procedings.
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which → become → procedings
Haji Zada was a lawful Green Card holder residing in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Zada → reside → Worth
She supported a plot to commit an ISIS-inspired mass shooting on Election Day in 2024 for which her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, were previously arrested and convicted.
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son → support → law
The application to remove Zada, certified by Attorney General Todd Blanche, was filed on July 15, and Zada appeared in open court for the first time on July 30.
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Zada → remove → July
Alien Terrorist Removal Court Chief Judge Joan N Ericksen presided over that hearing and later signed the removal order.
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Ericksen → preside → order
In compliance with the ATRC statute, the government used classified information to establish that Zada is an alien terrorist.
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Zada → use → information
Additionally, the government provided Zada and her lawyers, two federal public defenders, with approximately half a terabyte of documents supporting the government’s case, DOJ said.
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DOJ → provide → case
With her lawyers, Zada conceded that she is an alien terrorist and waived her appeal of the removal order, terminating her previous status.
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she → concede → status
“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,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche.
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Blanche → result → 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.”
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Department → support → country
“This is a historic and vitally important step in our work to protect the U.S. homeland from terrorism,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
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Patel → protect → terrorism
“An individual who supported a plot by ISIS-sympathizing family members to commit an attack in America has paid the price for that.
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who → support → that
She came to our country, betrayed it, and has now lost the right to live here and enjoy our democratic freedoms.
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She → come → freedoms
This FBI and our Justice Department partners will protect the American people from the threat of terrorism, using all means necessary.”
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FBI → protect → means
The Justice Department described Nazira Haji Zada as the “matriarch” of the family who plotted the attack.
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who → describe → attack
The government alleged she had made plans to move back to Afghanistan with other female relatives, selling the family home to raise funds for the trip, while the two men stayed behind in the United States to carry out the mass shooting.
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men → allege → shooting
They started selling furniture, computers, a mobile phone, and the family’s two vehicles.
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They → start → furniture
Zada signed a contract to sell the family house.
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Zada → sign → house
The family also purchased one-way airfare for travel to Kabul, Afghanistan shortly before Election Day 2024 for its members, including for Zada and other minor children but not Abdullah and Tawhedi.
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family → purchase → Zada
But she did not ultimately make the trip, officials said.
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officials → make → trip
He pleaded guilty to a terrorism offense involving a firearm and has acknowledged that he will be deported to Afghanistan after completing his 15-year prison term.
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he → plead → term
The son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 28, has pleaded guilty to terrorism charges, including conspiring to provide support to the Islamic State, and is awaiting sentencing.
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son → plead → sentencing
