The Justice Department filed its first known case in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court against Nazira Haji Zada.
Why it matters: The filing revives a rarely used national-security deportation tribunal that could become a tool in future immigration and counterterrorism cases. It also tests how far the government can go in using specialized courts to remove people it says pose terrorism risks.
- The Justice Department filed the case on July 15, 2026, in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court.
- The respondent is Nazira Haji Zada, a Fort Worth, Texas resident identified by AP as an Afghan woman.
- AP reported the government alleges she supported an ISIS-inspired plot in the U.S. and had her children pledge loyalty to the group.
- The court scheduled a hearing in Washington, D.C., for Thursday, July 31, 2026, after filings were unsealed the night before.
The Justice Department is using the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, a little-used federal tribunal created by Congress in 1996, to seek the removal of Nazira Haji Zada. The Federal Judicial Center says the court received its first government application in July 2026, making this the first known use of the venue.
AP reported that the government’s unclassified memo alleges Zada supported an ISIS-inspired plot in the United States and that she had her children pledge loyalty to the group. The filing also says she supported a plot by relatives to carry out an attack in the U.S. AP’s report identified Zada as an Afghan woman living in Fort Worth, Texas.
According to AP, Zada is the mother and mother-in-law of two Afghan men convicted in Oklahoma in connection with the 2024 Election Day plot. One son, Abdullah Haji Zada, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Her son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, pleaded guilty to conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS. AP’s account
The ATRC works differently from ordinary immigration court. Under the statute, the attorney general can file a sealed application asking the court to authorize removal proceedings. If the court grants that application, it holds a public hearing at which the government must prove the person is an alien terrorist. If the government prevails, the court orders removal, with appeals going to the D.C. Circuit. The FJC overview describes the process and the court's structure.
The court has five federal district judges designated from different circuits, and its 2026 chief judge is Joan N. Ericksen. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Congress created the court "to remove from the United States alien terrorists who never should have been here in the first place."
By the numbers
- 1996 - Congress created the Alien Terrorist Removal Court.
- July 15, 2026 - The Justice Department filed the application.
- Thursday, July 31, 2026 - The court set a hearing in Washington, D.C.
Yes, but: The filing is only the first step. The hearing will determine whether the attorney general can proceed with the removal case, not whether Zada is removed immediately.
What's next: If the court grants the application, the government can move into a public removal hearing and try to prove Zada is an alien terrorist.