The U.S. Department of Justice has used a special court for the first time to deport Nazira Haji Zada, a legal U.S. resident originally from Afghanistan, after she admitted to being an “alien terrorist.” Haji Zada was accused of supporting her son and son-in-law’s plan for an Islamic State-inspired attack on Election Day 2024. Her son, Abdullah, is serving a 15-year prison sentence. Instead of criminal charges, the Justice Department used the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, which allows for deportation with a lower standard of proof and the use of classified evidence. Haji Zada agreed to deportation, but her lawyers argue the process violates due process rights, as they couldn’t review the evidence. This case raises questions about the court’s constitutionality and the balance between national security and individual rights.
QUESTION: How might the use of classified evidence in legal proceedings impact the fairness of the justice system?
Alien Terrorist Removal Court deports legal US resident to Afghanistan in first-ever case
