An Afghan woman accused of supporting an Islamic State-inspired plot in the United States has been deported, the Justice Department announced Friday. Nazira Haji Zada, 47, was arrested in July at her Fort Worth, Texas, home and brought before the Alien Terrorist Removal Court.
Department officials stated that Haji Zada waived her rights to challenge her detention and agreed to be deported. The specific timing and destination of her deportation were not immediately clear. This resolution averts a potentially lengthy legal battle that could have tested the authority of the court and the evidence against Haji Zada.
The Alien Terrorist Removal Court, established in 1996, had not received any petitions until Haji Zada's case. The court has specific authority to conduct deportation proceedings for individuals classified as "alien terrorists" by the Justice Department. It comprises five federal judges appointed by the U.S. chief justice.
Attorney General Todd Blanche described the case's outcome as "a win for national security and the rule of law." He added, "Those who support and condone terrorism should not be living in the United States, and this first-ever case before the (court) shows how the Department will use every tool at its disposal to protect our country."
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated, "Those who plot acts of terrorism against the United States have no place in our country. We will find them, and we will use every lawful tool available to remove them."
The Justice Department had identified Haji Zada as a supporter of the Islamic State. At the time of her arrest, she was described as the mother and mother-in-law of two Afghan men convicted in Oklahoma for plotting an attack in the U.S. on Election Day in 2024. These plans were reportedly foiled before they could be executed.
At the time of her deportation, Haji Zada's lawyers had been seeking to compel the Justice Department to share information and evidence supporting the allegations against her.