Nazira Haji Zada, who holds legal permanent residency in the United States, chose to depart the country rather than pursue further legal challenges after the Department of Justice moved to have her removed under the Alien Terrorist Removal Court. The court, established in 1996 to handle terrorism‑related cases involving non‑citizens where evidence is deemed classified, heard its inaugural case in July 2024.
Haji Zada, 47, was never charged with a criminal offence herself, but prosecutors linked her to a family network that had already been convicted of terrorism. Her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and son‑in‑law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhed, were found guilty of conspiring to carry out a mass shooting on the 2024 Election Day, an attack they were said to have been inspired by the Islamic State group.
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche welcomed the outcome, describing it as a "win for national security and the rule of law" and stressing that individuals who support terrorism should not be allowed to remain in the country. The Department of Justice said Haji Zada admitted she was an "alien terrorist" and waived any right to appeal the removal order, thereby relinquishing her immigration status.
Court‑appointed public defenders, Matthew Farley and Mary Manning Petras, criticised the process, stating that the defence team was denied access to the classified evidence underpinning the case. They argued that forcing lawful permanent residents into a secret court without disclosure breaches constitutional due‑process rights and predicted that the court’s constitutionality would soon be challenged in the judiciary.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between national‑security measures and civil‑liberties safeguards in U.S. immigration law, as the unprecedented use of the Alien Terrorist Removal Court raises questions about transparency and the legal protections afforded to non‑citizen residents.
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Category: International
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