Afghan woman dubbed an "alien terrorist" deported in obscure court's first case

On Friday, the Justice Department announced the deportation of Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old Afghan permanent resident from Texas, who had been labeled an "alien terrorist" by the government, marking the first of its kind in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court. Zada chose to leave the United States rather than continue the legal battle in the court.

Established in 1996, the court's purpose was to allow the removal of noncitizens whose cases were classified for national security reasons, preventing them from being reviewed by public defenders. The court's secretive nature bars targets, including legal permanent residents, from accessing classified evidence against them and prevents them from challenging the evidence collection methods.

Haji Zada, who has never faced criminal charges, had her son, Abdullah, and son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, prosecuted and convicted for an alleged ISIS-inspired mass shooting plot on Election Day in 2024. The government claimed Haji Zada facilitated her children's radicalization towards ISIS. She has now waived her right to appeal the removal order, thus terminating her prior status.

The Justice Department has reportedly shared half a terabyte of documents supporting their claim of her alien terrorist status. Attorney General Todd Blanche lauded this case as a "win for national security and the rule of law," stating that those who support terrorism have no place in the United States.