Afghan woman deported in first-ever "Alien Terrorist" court case, DOJ says

Avery Lotz

Attorney General Todd Blanche — a man with brown hair wearing a blue suit jacket, a white collared shirt and a red tie — points as he speaks into a microphone attached to a podium outside in the DOJ courtyard in D.C. — Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks during a memorial event in the courtyard at the Department of Justice in D.C. on Sept. 8. Photo: Pete Kiehart/Bloomberg via Getty Images

An Afghan national who was the first-ever case before the federal Alien Terrorist Removal Court has been deported, the Justice Department announced Friday.

The big picture: The DOJ win before the previously dormant court could give the administration a path to remove people it links to terrorism while keeping much of its evidence secret, Axios previously reported.

Driving the news: Chief Judge Joan Ericksen directed the removal of Nazira Haji Zada, a lawful permanent resident whom the government accused of assisting her son and son-in-law's foiled 2024 shooting plot, in a recently unsealed August 20 order.

The DOJ said "the government used classified information to establish that Zada is an alien terrorist" and that Zada accepted that designation and waived appeal of the removal order.
Lawyers representing Zada had previously argued the government was violating her due process rights and leaving them in the dark on the evidence against her, signaling they'd fight for her release.
"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," Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.
Zada's attorneys did not respond to Axios' request for comment.

Catch up quick: The DOJ filed the first application in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court's history back in July.

The unclassified summary filed in the case accused Zada of being an ISIS supporter who backed her son and son-in-law's conspiracy.
It further said the underlying information was classified "because disclosure would enable terrorists and terrorist organizations to avoid preventative or detection measures" or could reveal FBI or other intelligence sources.

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

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Afghan woman deported in first-ever "Alien Terrorist" court case, DOJ says

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