An Afghan woman accused of supporting the Islamic State has been deported from the United States after becoming the first person to face proceedings before a little-known court established to remove suspected “alien terrorists.”
Nazira Haji Zada, 47, a lawful permanent resident living in Texas, was deported after agreeing not to challenge her removal before the Alien Terrorist Removal Court.
The U.S. Department of Justice accused Haji Zada of helping conceal an Islamic State-inspired plot to carry out a mass shooting on Election Day in 2024. She was never charged with a crime, although her son and son-in-law later pleaded guilty to related charges.
The court was created by Congress in 1996 but had remained unused for decades. It allows the government to rely on classified evidence in deportation proceedings, which defendants and their lawyers are not permitted to review.
Haji Zada’s lawyer had initially challenged the secretive process, arguing that it violated her constitutional right to due process. However, court documents later revealed that she agreed to be classified as an “alien terrorist” subject to deportation.
Chief Judge Joan Ericksen subsequently approved her removal to Afghanistan.
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche described the case as a victory for national security and the rule of law.
However, Haji Zada’s public defender, Matthew Farley, said her decision to accept deportation should not be interpreted as accepting the legitimacy of the court. He argued that denying lawful permanent residents and their lawyers access to the evidence used against them violated due process.
The case comes amid President Donald Trump’s broader immigration crackdown and aggressive deportation efforts.
It remains unclear whether the Justice Department will use the rarely invoked court again.
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