The Department of Justice has successfully removed an ISIS-inspired plot supporter from the U.S. using the United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC) for the first time. An application was filed in July to target Nazira Haji Zada, an Afghan national, who supported a plan by her sons for a mass shooting on Election Day 2024. The ATRC, established nearly three decades ago, had remained inactive until this case.
Zada has become permanently inadmissible to the U.S. following her removal, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Created by Congress, the ATRC allows deportation of noncitizens suspected of terrorism using classified evidence. This first successful invocation of the ATRC by the Trump administration could mark a new approach to handling terrorism-related deportation cases.
The DOJ provided Zada and her attorneys with about half a terabyte of documentation supporting its case.
Zada admitted to supporting a mass shooting plot involving her sons and son-in-law. Her family sold property to fund the attack, with plans to buy weapons and flee to Kabul, Afghanistan. The removal order was signed by ATRC Chief Judge Joan Ericksen.
FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted the importance of this case for U.S. national security. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that the president prioritizes the safety and security of the American people.
Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized the DOJ’s commitment to using every tool to protect national security, while legal expert Hans von Spakovsky criticized previous administrations for not utilizing the court earlier.
The ATRC, part of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, includes five federal judges and cases are conducted with classified evidence kept private. Concerns about transparency were voiced by Sen. Joe Biden when the law was enacted.
The Trump administration has faced judicial challenges regarding immigration enforcement, highlighting the ATRC’s potential role in streamlining terrorism-related deportation cases.