US deports Afghan woman in first-ever case before special terrorism court

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has deported Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old Afghan woman, after she conceded to being an "alien terrorist." This marks the first time the Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC), established by Congress in 1996, has been used. Prosecutors alleged Haji Zada supported a plan by her son and son-in-law to commit an ISIS-style mass shooting on Election Day 2024. Haji Zada was arrested in Fort Worth, Texas, in July and waived her right to challenge detention, agreeing to deportation on August 20. Her public defenders argued the court's legitimacy, stating, "Dragging lawful permanent residents into court but refusing to show them or their attorneys the evidence that will be used against them is a plain violation of due process." Attorney General Todd Blanche called the case "a win for national security and the rule of law."