An Afghan woman accused of supporting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting planned for Election Day 2024 has been deported to Afghanistan. This marks the first successful case of the U.S. Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC), established by Congress 30 years ago to assess whether a non-citizen can be deemed an ‘alien terrorist.’ Nazira Haji Zada, aged 47, admitted her status as an ‘alien terrorist’ before the ATRC and waived her right to appeal, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Attorney General Todd Blanche described the case as a significant achievement for national security and the legal system. He stated, ‘Individuals who support terrorism have no place in the U.S., and this inaugural case before the ATRC demonstrates the DOJ’s commitment to using all available resources to safeguard the nation.’
Zada’s son and son-in-law, Abdullah Haji Zada and Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, were previously convicted for their roles in the plot. In October 2024, they were apprehended for purchasing firearms and ammunition from an undercover FBI agent. They confessed to acquiring AK-47 rifles to execute a mass shooting for the Islamic State. Zada’s son received a 15-year prison sentence, while Tawhedi awaits sentencing, as per the DOJ.
Living as a permanent resident in Fort Worth, Texas, Zada is permanently barred from re-entering the U.S. The court issued her removal order on August 20. FBI Director Kash Patel deemed her deportation a vital measure for U.S. homeland security, remarking, ‘An individual complicit in a plot by ISIS-aligned family members to attack America has accepted the consequences. She breached the trust of our country and now relinquishes the right to our democratic liberties.’ The FBI, alongside the Justice Department, pledges to employ all necessary means to shield Americans from terrorism threats.
The family reportedly began liquidating their assets to fund the attack and purchased one-way flights to Kabul, with exceptions for her son and Tawhedi. Haji Zada’s legal team argues that her deportation consent shouldn’t validate the court’s authority. They contend that bringing lawful permanent residents to court, without disclosing evidence, constitutes a due process violation.
They remain hopeful that the Alien Terrorist Removal Court will eventually be deemed unconstitutional by a judicial review. Established by Congress in 1996, Zada’s deportation represents its first application. The Associated Press contributed additional information for this report.