Afghan grandmother deported after first-ever case in Alien Terrorist Removal Court
Aug 20, 2026·Location: TX
Country of origin: Afghanistan

Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old Afghan lawful permanent resident, was arrested at her home in Fort Worth, Texas, in July 2026 after prosecutors alleged she supported a plan by her son and son-in-law to carry out an ISIS-inspired mass shooting on Election Day 2024. Rather than face criminal charges, the Justice Department pursued the first-ever case against her in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, a specialized federal tribunal created in 1996 but never previously used, which permits the use of classified evidence. Her court-appointed public defenders challenged the proceedings on due process grounds and questioned the court's constitutionality, arguing evidence had been withheld from her defense, though the judge allowed the case to proceed. Haji Zada ultimately waived her right to contest the proceedings and consented to removal, and a federal judge ordered her deportation to Afghanistan on August 20. Her son Abdullah was separately sentenced to 15 years in prison, and her son-in-law pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges.
Timeline
Sources
- Politico
- ‘Alien Terrorist Removal Court,’ created in 1996, holds first-ever hearing
NBC News·Jul 30, 2026·archived copy
- Little-known Alien Terrorist Removal Court hears first-ever case in attempt to deport permanent US resident
- Anthropic v. U.S. Department of War: A Hearing Diary
- Alien Terrorist Removal Court deports legal US resident to Afghanistan in first-ever case
citrixnews.cz·Sep 12, 2026
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