The Justice Department has invoked the long-dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court to seek the deportation of Nazira Haji Zada, an Afghan woman accused of supporting an ISIS-inspired Election Day plot through family members in the United States, and the case marks the first use of that specialized court since it was created in 1996.
The Trump administration moved swiftly after arrests tied to the alleged plan, filing an application that places classified evidence before a court designed for exactly this purpose. Authorities say Haji Zada is linked to a family-centered scheme, and the government scheduled an initial hearing in Washington this week. This is being handled at the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse while prosecutors pursue removal under immigration law.
Federal records and an FBI memo cited by investigators say Haji Zada encouraged support for the Islamic State and that relatives pledged loyalty to the group. Prosecutors describe her as a central figure in a family network whose members carried out conspiracies here in the United States. Those ties have formed the backbone of the Justice Department’s request to deport her as an alien terrorist.
Two relatives already convicted in connection with the alleged Election Day plot provide the clearest public picture of the threat the government contends it faced. Her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, received a 15-year prison sentence and has indicated he will be deported after serving his term. Her son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, pleaded guilty to conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State and admitted actions prosecutors say included efforts to obtain weapons and make travel arrangements that would facilitate violence.
According to court filings, Tawhedi tried to move forward with violent plans by ordering assault rifles, liquidating family assets, and buying one-way tickets for his wife and child to return to Afghanistan. Those allegations are cited as evidence of intent and capability that justified heightened scrutiny from federal investigators. The material in prosecutors’ filings, some of it classified, is the precise reason the Alien Terrorist Removal Court exists.
“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,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.
The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was created by Congress in 1996 but remained unused until now, standing as a tool to protect national security while handling sensitive evidence. It consists of five federal judges from across the country who are appointed by the chief justice of the Supreme Court, and its mission is to balance classified intelligence with legal due process in removal cases. For this matter, the court will hold proceedings in Washington so judges can review classified material in a secure setting.
From a Republican perspective, this case demonstrates the necessity of enforcing immigration laws and using every lawful mechanism to remove foreign threats. The decision to activate a specialized court signals seriousness about preventing terror networks from exploiting immigration pathways or family ties within the United States. Officials argue that letting classified evidence remain outside the judicial process would hamper the government’s ability to act decisively against dangerous foreign actors.
Court officers and prosecutors are now tasked with proving that Haji Zada meets the statutory definition of an “alien terrorist” under U.S. immigration law, while defense lawyers will challenge the government’s characterization and the sufficiency of its evidence. The procedural path ahead will test how well that rarely used tribunal handles the mix of national security secrecy and immigrant removal proceedings. Whatever the outcome, this case will likely shape how and when the government turns to the Alien Terrorist Removal Court in future national security removals.
Graduate Student, wife, engaged political and legal writer.