Justice Department Activates Forgotten Terror Court After 30 Years

Clear Facts

• Afghan woman Nazira Haji Zada faces deportation through the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, the first such case since the court’s creation in 1996
• Haji Zada is accused of supporting an ISIS-inspired Election Day 2024 attack plot involving her son and son-in-law, both convicted in Oklahoma
• The specialized federal court handles deportation cases involving classified evidence against suspected terrorist threats

The Trump administration has revived a specialized federal court dormant for three decades in its effort to deport an Afghan woman tied to an Islamic State terror plot targeting American voters.

Nazira Haji Zada of Fort Worth, Texas, became the first person to face deportation proceedings through the Alien Terrorist Removal Court following her arrest this week. The court, established by Congress in 1996, never received a single petition until the Justice Department filed its application earlier this month.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the unprecedented action with strong language about protecting American soil.

“The allegations in this case show the matriarch of an ISIS-sympathizing family aiding in a plot to launch a mass casualty attack on American voters on Election Day. The Department’s application in this court makes clear that terrorists have no place in the United States of America.”

An FBI memo dated July 15 reveals authorities “developed information” indicating Haji Zada actively supports the Islamic State and compelled her children to pledge loyalty to the terrorist organization. According to the memo, she provided support for a plot by family members to execute an ISIS-inspired attack on U.S. soil.

Court filings identify Haji Zada as the mother and mother-in-law of two Afghan men convicted in Oklahoma for their roles in a 2024 Election Day terror plot. Her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, received a 15-year prison sentence in November and agreed to deportation upon his release.

Her son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, who previously worked as a security guard at a U.S. military installation in Afghanistan, pleaded guilty to conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State. Prosecutors presented evidence showing Tawhedi ordered AK-47 rifles, liquidated his family’s assets, and purchased one-way tickets for his wife and child to return to Afghanistan in preparation for the attack.

The Alien Terrorist Removal Court operates under unique procedures designed to handle deportation cases involving classified intelligence. The court consists of five federal judges from various districts appointed by the Supreme Court’s chief justice. All current proceedings are scheduled at the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse in Washington, with an initial hearing set for Thursday.

Blanche emphasized the court’s original congressional mandate.

“Congress created the Alien Terrorist Removal Court three decades ago to remove from the United States alien terrorists who never should have been here in the first place.”

The case represents a significant shift in how the federal government addresses terror threats within immigration enforcement. By utilizing a court specifically designed for cases involving classified evidence against suspected terrorists, the administration demonstrates its commitment to employing every available legal mechanism to protect national security.

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