Justice Department Uses Special Court for First Time

An image of President Trump was displayed on the U.S. Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C., in February 2026. The Justice Department is taking unprecedented steps by using a special court to seek the removal of a woman accused of supporting the Islamic State.

The department aims to use the Alien Terrorist Removal Court to deport Nazira Haji Zada, a lawful U.S. permanent resident. Her first court hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Established by Congress in 1996, this court facilitates the use of classified evidence to deport individuals deemed threats. Until now, the court has remained unused. This month, the DOJ began proceedings against Zada, a 47-year-old located in Fort Worth, Texas.

Prosecutors have charged her son and son-in-law with attempting to disrupt the 2024 elections for the Islamic State. Both were sentenced to prison and will be deported afterward.

The allegations in this case show the matriarch of an ISIS-sympathizing family aiding in a plot to launch a mass casualty attack on American voters on Election Day,” stated acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Department’s application in this court makes clear that terrorists have no place in the United States of America.”

Judge Joan Ericksen, leading the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, will oversee the case.