A 47-year-old Afghan national was deported to Afghanistan after conceding before a federal tribunal that she is an alien terrorist, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on September 11, 2026. The case was the first ever adjudicated by the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, known as the ATRC.
Nazira Haji Zada had been a lawful permanent resident living in Fort Worth, Texas. The Justice Department said she supported an ISIS-inspired plot to carry out a mass shooting on Election Day 2024.
Two other family members were previously arrested and convicted in connection with the same plot. The Justice Department identified them as her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and her son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi.
The Justice Department described Haji Zada as the matriarch of her family. NPR also reported on the removal, and both outlets confirmed this was the first proceeding of its kind before the ATRC.