The Justice Department announced on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, the first deportation secured through the Alien Terrorist Removal Court. Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old lawful permanent resident originally from Afghanistan, was removed to her home country on Aug. 25 after conceding to being an "alien terrorist" in court filings unsealed Friday.
Congress established the Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC) in 1996 to make it easier for the Justice Department to use classified evidence that might pose a risk to national security if disclosed to deport individuals. The court operates under a lower standard of proof than the criminal justice system, which requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Before this case, the court had never received a petition or held a hearing.
According to court documents, prosecutors alleged Haji Zada worked to radicalize her family members and formally pledged loyalty to the Islamic State (ISIS). She was accused of supporting a mass-casualty shooting plot aimed at the 2024 Election Day, involving her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and her son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi. Her son was sentenced to 15 years in prison, while her son-in-law pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges involving the purchase of AK-47 rifles and ammunition. Both men are scheduled for deportation following their release from prison.
Haji Zada's court-appointed attorneys, Matthew Farley and Mary Manning Petras, challenged the constitutionality of the proceedings, stating they were not permitted to review the classified evidence against their client. They characterized the lack of access as a violation of due process. Although Haji Zada waived her right to challenge the detention on Aug. 20 and agreed to deportation, her attorneys stated that her consent was not an endorsement of the court's legitimacy.
The resolution permanently bars Haji Zada from re-entering the United States. While the Justice Department typically pursues criminal convictions and prison sentences for terror threats, the use of civil proceedings in the ATRC allows the government to bypass the public disclosure of classified intelligence.
Attorney General Todd Blanche, who authorized the application to the court, stated the department will use "every tool at its disposal" to protect the country.
Haji Zada was arrested in July at her home in Fort Worth, Texas. As for what happens next, Haji Zada’s attorneys predicted the court would be struck down as unconstitutional if its legitimacy is challenged in a future case where a respondent does not consent to removal.