First Case in US Alien Terrorist Removal Court Ends in Deportation
On August 20, the United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court issued its first-ever removal order, deporting 47-year-old lawful permanent resident Nazira Haji Zada to Afghanistan. Attorney General Todd Blanche certified the application, utilizing classified information and an unsealed order to execute the historic deportation following her concession of terrorist ties.
The Landmark ATRC Proceedings and Legal Architecture
Established by Congress decades ago, the United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC) had never been utilized by any previous administration until this proceeding. According to the Department of Justice, the application to remove Zada was filed on July 15. Zada subsequently appeared for her first open court hearing on July 30, before ATRC Chief Judge Joan N. Ericksen in Washington, D.C.
In compliance with the ATRC statute, the government relied on classified information to establish that Zada—a resident of Fort Worth, Texas—met the statutory definition of an alien terrorist. Federal prosecutors provided Zada and her two appointed federal public defenders with approximately half a terabyte of supporting documents. Represented by counsel, Zada ultimately conceded that she is an alien terrorist and waived her right to appeal the removal order, effectively terminating her lawful permanent resident status and rendering her permanently inadmissible to the United States.
The unique mechanism of the ATRC allows the federal government to bypass traditional removal proceedings that might otherwise compel the dangerous disclosure of sensitive intelligence.
Connection to the 2024 Election Day Terror Plot
As the matriarch of an Afghan family residing in Texas, Zada supported a conspiracy to execute an ISIS-inspired mass shooting on Election Day, November 5, 2024. Her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and her son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, were arrested previously in connection with the same plot.
Court records from the Department of Justice show that Tawhedi and Abdullah Haji Zada were apprehended on October 7, 2024, after purchasing two AK-47 rifles, 500 rounds of ammunition, and 10 magazines from an undercover FBI employee. To fund the operation, family members began selling off personal property during 2024. Abdullah Haji Zada, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, pleaded guilty as an adult and received a 15-year prison sentence alongside a stipulated judicial order of removal to Afghanistan. Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025, to two terrorism-related offenses involving material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and acquiring firearms for a federal crime of terrorism.
Federal Leadership and National Security Statements
According to Attorney General Todd Blanche, the landmark case demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to using every available tool to protect the American homeland and uphold the rule of law.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated that Zada betrayed the nation that hosted her and must forfeit her right to enjoy democratic freedoms. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin added that the coordinated efforts of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Department of State fulfilled administrative directives to prioritize public safety. Eisenberg noted that Zada abused American hospitality, while State Department Spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed that the administration will continue utilizing all legal mechanisms to bar and remove foreign nationals intending harm.
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