Foreign Terrorist Court Used for Deportation in the US for the First Time

Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old Afghan national residing in Texas with legal permanent resident status, left the country following the first-ever activation of the Alien Terrorist Removal Court process in the US.

Court Proceedings and Deportation Order

According to statements from the US Department of Justice and her attorneys, 47-year-old Nazira Haji Zada, who lived in Fort Worth, Texas, chose to leave the country rather than pursue the case in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court.

Established in 1996 but having never seen a case before the hearings in July, this court was designed for foreign nationals facing terrorism charges involving classified national security evidence.

Legal Debates and Allegations

Haji Zada's attorneys argued that the proceedings violated the right to a fair trial under the US Constitution.

While Haji Zada, an Afghan citizen, was not officially charged with any crime, prosecutors had sought to convict her son and son-in-law on terrorism charges.

Family Ties and ISIS-Linked Plot

Haji Zada's son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhed, were convicted of a plot to carry out a mass shooting inspired by the ISIS organization on Election Day in 2024.

The prosecution accused Haji Zada, who lived in Fort Worth, of being the group's 'family matriarch' and alleged that she worked to radicalize her family.

Department of Justice Statement

In an official statement released by the Department of Justice on Friday, it was reported that Haji Zada acknowledged being a foreign terrorist, waived her right to contest the deportation order, and terminated her previous immigration status.