DOJ uses Alien Terrorist Removal Court for first time to deport Afghan woman

Published September 11, 2026 2:49pm ET | Updated September 11, 2026 2:49pm ET




The Justice Department confirmed the removal of an Afghan woman from the United States in the first completed case before a specialized terrorism court that Congress created 30 years ago but had never been used.

Nazira Haji Zada, 47, conceded through her lawyers that she qualified as an “alien terrorist” and waived her right to appeal, according to the DOJ on Friday. The woman, who had been residing in Fort Worth, Texas, was returned to Afghanistan and is permanently barred from entering the United States.

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