The Justice Department activates the Alien Terrorist Removal Court to deport Nazira Haji Zada
The Justice Department has initiated the first-ever case in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court to deport Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old lawful permanent resident from Fort Worth, Texas. Created by Congress in 1996, this specialized court was designed to handle cases where classified information makes traditional deportation proceedings difficult. The administration announced the use of this tribunal to argue that Zada, who has no known criminal history, is an "alien terrorist" who supported her son and son-in-law in a foiled Islamic State-inspired plot to launch a mass casualty attack on American voters during the 2024 election. While Zada has not been publicly charged with crimes of terrorism, the government alleges she pledged loyalty to ISIS and worked to indoctrinate her children with the organization's ideology. Her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, have already been sentenced and will be deported after serving their prison terms. The case will be presided over by Chief Judge Joan Ericksen, who will conduct a public hearing to determine if Zada should be removed from the United States.