An Afghan woman accused of supporting the Islamic State has been deported from the United States in the first case to be pursued by the U.S. Department of ​Justice through a little-known court created 30 years ago to deport “alien terrorists.”

Nazira Haji ‌Zada, a 47-year-old who had been residing in Texas as a lawful permanent resident of the United States, was deported after agreeing not to continue to fight against her removal in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court following her ​arrest in July, the department said on Friday, Reuters reported.

The Justice Department had accused her of ​helping conceal a failed, Islamic State-inspired plot to commit a mass shooting on ⁠Election Day 2024. She was never charged with any crime, but her son and son-in-law ​pleaded guilty to related charges last year.

Her case had been filed in a court that had ​gone unused in the decades since its creation by Congress in 1996. That court allows the government to rely on classified evidence in deportation cases.

Her attorney initially argued the secretive process violated her due process rights. Defendants ​in such cases are not allowed to review the classified evidence used against them.

But according to ​court documents unsealed on Friday, Haji Zada agreed last month that she was an “alien terrorist” subject to removal. ‌The ⁠court’s chief judge, Joan Ericksen, subsequently approved her deportation, opens new tab.

“This landmark case, resulting in the prompt removal of this alien terrorist to her country of origin, is a win for national security and the rule of law,” U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.

The case marked the latest in ​a series of aggressive ​moves by President Donald ⁠Trump’s administration to carry out deportations as part of an immigration crackdown.

It was unclear, though, whether the Justice Department would use the obscure court ​again anytime soon.

Matthew Farley, a public defender who represented Haji Zada, ​in a statement ⁠said her “choice to consent to removal should not be seen as an endorsement of this court’s legitimacy.”

“Dragging lawful permanent residents into court but refusing to show them or their attorneys the evidence that ⁠will be ​used against them is a plain violation of due ​process,” he said. “We are confident that the Alien Terrorist Removal Court will be struck down as unconstitutional as soon as a ​judge is asked to address the issue.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the United States of using the international solidarity that followed the September 11, 2001, attacks to advance broader geopolitical objectives and expand its global influence.

In an interview with Russian broadcaster RBC, Lavrov said Washington had capitalized on international support for the U.S.-led response to the attacks, arguing that the resulting military campaign and international coalition were used for purposes beyond combating terrorism.

“Relations have changed for the worse,” Lavrov said, according to the interview. He argued that the United States used international support and a resolution authorizing its military operation to pursue what he described as geopolitical plans and greater international influence.

Lavrov pointed to a series of U.S. and Western military interventions over the past several decades as evidence of what he characterized as a broader pattern.

He cited the NATO intervention in Yugoslavia, the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks, and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. According to Lavrov, the dismantling of Iraqi state institutions and the disbanding of the military contributed to conditions that later facilitated the emergence of militant groups, including Islamic State (ISIS), which is banned in Russia.

The Russian foreign minister also criticized the 2011 NATO-backed intervention in Libya, describing the country before the conflict as prosperous and arguing that its subsequent political fragmentation has remained unresolved.

Lavrov additionally referenced conflicts involving Georgia and Ukraine, presenting them as part of what he described as a continuing effort by a U.S.-dominated international system to preserve its influence.

He characterized these developments as an attempt by what he called the “unipolar world” to resist broader historical changes.

“This will continue for a long time. This is an entire era,” Lavrov said.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday suspended the operation of directives issued by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) ordering Afghan medical students enrolled in Pakistani institutions to return to Afghanistan.

The court’s decision provides immediate relief to Afghan medical students studying in Pakistan, allowing them to continue their education, sit for examinations and return to their hostels.

Justice Khalid Ishaq issued the order while hearing petitions filed by 13 Afghan students enrolled at various medical institutions in Lahore, including King Edward Medical University, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Medical and Dental College, and the Services Institute of Medical Sciences.

The petitions were filed after the PMDC issued a notification on September 1 directing Afghan medical students enrolled in Pakistani medical colleges to “return to Afghanistan.” The notification also barred medical and dental colleges from granting admission or placement to Afghan students during the current academic session.

The students also challenged a similar directive issued by the PMDC on July 31, asking the court to declare both orders illegal, unconstitutional and without lawful authority.

During Friday’s hearing, Advocate Asad Jamal, representing the petitioners, argued that the students had been condemned unheard and that their fundamental rights to education, life and dignity had been violated.

He further argued that the PMDC had exceeded its jurisdiction under the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Act and urged the court to ensure that the students’ fundamental rights were protected in accordance with the law.

Opposing the suspension of the directives, PMDC lawyer Haris Azmat argued that the matter was linked to national security.

Justice Khalid Ishaq, however, rejected the argument and ordered the suspension of the PMDC’s July 31 and September 1 directives.

The court directed that the Afghan students be allowed to continue their education, appear in examinations and return to their hostels.

The court also sought responses from the PMDC, Pakistan’s Ministry of Health and the vice chancellors of the medical universities and colleges concerned. The next hearing has been scheduled for September 18.

Afghan ambassador welcomes court decision

Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb welcomed the Lahore High Court’s decision, describing it as a positive development for Afghan students pursuing medical education in Pakistan.

“The Lahore High Court’s decision directing medical colleges not to expel Afghan students or cancel their examination papers is a welcome development,” Shakeeb said on X.

The Afghan ambassador also acknowledged a clarification from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry that Afghan students holding valid visas may continue their education in Pakistan.

“We hope that the relevant authorities of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan will continue to facilitate a clear, consistent and practical approach, enabling lawfully enrolled Afghan students to maintain their legal status and complete their studies without unnecessary interruption,” he said.