An Afghan permanent resident in Texas has been deported after the US Justice Department accused her of being an "alien terrorist," marking the first case of its kind, the department announced.
Nazira Haji Zada, 47, chose to leave the US instead of continuing to fight the case in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC), the Justice Department said on Friday.
Established in 1996, the ATRC allows the government to deport noncitizens who cannot be removed through the traditional legal system because classified information relevant to their cases cannot be publicly disclosed for national security reasons.
Individuals facing removal through the court, including legal permanent residents, cannot examine the classified evidence used against them.
They also cannot challenge the government's methods of obtaining that evidence, unlike defendants in criminal proceedings.
Haji Zada has not been charged with a crime.
However, her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, were prosecuted and convicted in connection with a plot to carry out a mass shooting on Election Day in 2024.
“Landmark case”
The Justice Department said it provided Haji Zada's lawyers with half a terabyte of documents supporting its allegation that she is an alien terrorist.
The department stated that Haji Zada "conceded that she is an alien terrorist and waived appeal of the removal order, terminating her previous status."
Attorney General Todd Blanche described the case as a major national security victory, saying, "This landmark case, resulting in the prompt removal of this alien terrorist to her country of origin, is 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 ATRC shows how the Department will use every tool at its disposal to protect our country."
