U.S. Activates Dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court for First Time
The U.S. Justice Department has activated the long-dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court, created in 1996 but never used, to seek deportation of Nazira Haji Zada, an Afghan legal permanent resident in Fort Worth, Texas. She is accused of supporting an ISIS-inspired plot, including a thwarted 2024 Election Day attack. Her son and son-in-law were convicted. Zada’s lawyers challenge the court’s constitutionality, citing due process concerns over classified evidence and a lower standard of proof. The case may reach the Supreme Court.
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Reports are grouped by semantic similarity and deterministic rules. Language models may assist titles, summaries, translation and cross-source analysis; the page itself is projected from evidence records.
- Current automated evidence projection
Cross-source coverage
Wire timeline
DOJ Activates Long-Dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court for First Time
The U.S. Justice Department has activated the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, established in 1996 but never used until now, to deport Nazira Haji Zada, a legal permanent resident from Afghanistan accused of ISIS sympathies and involvement in a thwarted terror plot targeting the 2024 election. Zada has not been formally charged with a crime, and her lawyers are challenging the court's constitutionality, arguing it violates due process by allowing deportation under a lower standard than criminal conviction and permitting the government to withhold classified evidence from the accused. The case could lead to prolonged litigation potentially reaching the Supreme Court. The DOJ has stated it will use all available tools, including this court, to remove alien terrorists from the United States.
DOJ Activates Long-Dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court for First Time
The U.S. Justice Department has activated the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, a specialized tribunal created in 1996 but never used until now, to deport Nazira Haji Zada, a legal permanent resident from Afghanistan accused of ISIS sympathies and involvement in a thwarted 2024 election terror plot. Zada's lawyers are challenging the court's constitutionality, arguing it violates due process by allowing the government to withhold classified evidence from the accused and using a lower standard of proof than criminal courts. The case could lead to years of litigation and potentially reach the Supreme Court. Prior administrations avoided using the court, relying on standard deportation procedures. The DOJ has built a website and electronic filing system for the court, signaling intent to use it further.
US Justice Department Activates Long-Dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court for First Time
The US Justice Department has activated the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, established in 1996 but never used until now, to deport Nazira Haji Zada, a legal permanent resident from Afghanistan accused of ISIS sympathies and involvement in a thwarted 2024 election terror plot. The specialized court, composed of five federal judges, allows deportation under a lower evidentiary standard than criminal conviction. Zada's lawyers are challenging the court's constitutionality, arguing it violates due process by allowing the government to withhold classified evidence from the accused. The case could set up a lengthy legal battle potentially reaching the Supreme Court. Prior administrations avoided using this court, relying on standard deportation procedures. The DOJ has stated it will use all available tools to remove alien terrorists, while critics question the limited evidence provided against Zada.
Show 2 older updatesHide older updates
Justice Department Brings First Case in Dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court
The Justice Department is bringing its first case in a previously dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court, seeking to remove Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old Afghan woman living in Fort Worth, Texas. The action follows the conviction of her sons in Oklahoma for their roles in a terrorism plot. The court, established under the USA PATRIOT Act, allows for the expedited removal of noncitizens suspected of terrorism. This marks a significant legal milestone in the use of this specialized court, which had not been utilized since its creation.
U.S. uses dormant court to seek deportation of Afghan woman accused of aiding terror plot
The U.S. Justice Department has activated the long-dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court for the first time in 30 years to seek the deportation of Nazira Haji Zada, an Afghan woman from Fort Worth, Texas. She is accused of supporting an Islamic State-inspired plot, including having her children pledge loyalty to ISIS and aiding relatives in a planned Election Day attack in 2024. Her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, was sentenced to 15 years for his role, and her son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, pleaded guilty to providing material support. The court, established in 1996 but never used until now, will hold a hearing in Washington, D.C. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the court was created to remove alien terrorists who should never have been in the U.S.