Afghan Woman Deported in First Use of Secretive US ‘Alien Terrorist’ Court

VoS NEWS DESK | LAW & IMMIGRATION | 12 September 2026

Nazira Haji Zada, 47, was a lawful permanent resident living in Fort Worth, Texas. She was arrested in July after the US Justice Department accused her of supporting and helping conceal an Islamic State-inspired plan for a mass shooting around Election Day in 2024. The alleged plot was linked to her son and son-in-law, who were convicted in connection with the failed plan.

The case was brought before the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, which was established by Congress in 1996 specifically to deal with deportation cases involving non-citizens whom the government considers to be terrorists. The court has special provisions allowing classified information to be considered when disclosure could create national-security risks.

According to the Justice Department, Haji Zada ultimately agreed to her removal and waived her right to continue challenging the case. She was subsequently deported to Afghanistan. Her decision brought the first ATRC case to a rapid conclusion and avoided what could otherwise have become a lengthy legal battle over the court's authority.

The case has nevertheless raised significant questions about due process and judicial transparency. Haji Zada's lawyers had argued that the government should disclose more of the evidence supporting its allegations. Reuters reported that the case relied in part on classified information that the defence could not fully examine. Her legal team also argued that the court's secretive procedures could face constitutional challenges in future cases.

US officials have defended the proceedings as an important national-security tool. The Justice Department described the removal as the first successful use of the court and said the government had used lawful mechanisms available to protect the country from individuals it believes pose a terrorism threat.

The ATRC consists of five federal judges appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States. Its creation decades ago reflected concerns that some terrorism-related immigration cases could involve classified intelligence that could not be disclosed through conventional deportation proceedings.

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The case could become significant beyond the individual deportation. The Trump administration has expanded immigration enforcement and deportation efforts, and the first-ever use of the ATRC may establish a precedent for future national-security cases involving lawful permanent residents or other non-citizens.

At the same time, the use of classified evidence creates a difficult legal balance between national security and the right to a fair defence. Whether the government uses this previously dormant court again—and whether future defendants challenge its procedures in higher courts—could determine how important the ATRC becomes in America's immigration and counterterrorism policy.

Source: Reuters • Associated Press • U.S. Department of Justice