Afghan Permanent Resident Leaves US After First Alien Terrorist Removal Court Case
A 47-year-old Afghan woman with permanent residency in Texas voluntarily departed the United States after the Department of Justice used the rarely-invoked Alien Terrorist Removal Court, marking its first proceeding.
Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old Afghan citizen living in Fort Worth, Texas, chose to leave the United States rather than continue litigation before the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, the Justice Department said. The court, established in 1996 for non-citizens facing terrorism-related accusations where evidence is classified, had never heard a case until July.
Prosecutors did not charge Haji Zada with a crime, but her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhed, were convicted of plotting a mass shooting on Election Day 2024 inspired by the Islamic State group. Authorities described Haji Zada as the “matriarch” who worked to radicalize her family.
In a Friday statement, the Justice Department noted that Haji Zada “conceded that she is an alien terrorist and waived appeal of the removal order, terminating her previous immigration status.”
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the case demonstrated the department’s commitment to national security. Public defenders Matthew Farley and Mary Manning Petras, representing Haji Zada, said her consent to removal should not be taken as validation of the court and argued that the process violated due-process rights, suggesting the court could be deemed unconstitutional.
The case highlights the first application of the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, raising questions about its use and the balance between security concerns and legal protections for permanent residents.