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Nazira Haji Zada faces first-ever Alien Terrorist Removal Court hearing as the administration tests new deportation strategy

The administration announced the first-ever hearing of the Alien Terrorist Removal Court to deport Nazira Haji Zada, an Afghan woman and legal permanent resident living in Texas. The court, created in 1996 but dormant for 30 years, was activated by the administration to handle cases where classified evidence prevents public disclosure for national security reasons. Justice Department lawyers allege that Haji Zada helped radicalize her family members to support the Islamic State group, specifically aiding her son and son-in-law in a thwarted mass casualty attack plot for the 2024 election. While Haji Zada has no criminal history, her public defender, Matthew Farley, argued that the court's procedure is unconstitutional and violates due process. Farley characterized the government's use of the court as a "runaround" to avoid traditional criminal proceedings. Judge Joan Ericksen presided over the hearing, acknowledging the court's lack of infrastructure and the need for a strong rationale for withholding classified information from the defense.

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