Secretary of State Marco Rubio terminated the lawful permanent resident status of the niece and grandniece of deceased Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Major General Qasem Soleimani, leading to their arrest by federal agents and custody with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the State Department announced Saturday.
Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, who had been green card holders living in Los Angeles, were taken into ICE custody Friday night following Rubio’s action, according to a State Department press release.
The department stated that Afshar, identified as an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime, promoted regime propaganda while in the United States.
She celebrated attacks against American soldiers and military facilities in the Middle East, praised the new Iranian Supreme Leader, called America the "Great Satan," and expressed support for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated terrorist organization.
"Afshar Soleimani pushed this propaganda for Iran’s terrorist regime while enjoying a lavish lifestyle in Los Angeles, as attested to by her frequent posting on her recently deleted Instagram account," the State Department said.
Rubio confirmed the terminations on X, writing: "This week, I terminated both Afshar and her daughter’s legal status, and they are now in ICE custody, pending removal from the United States."
He added that the Trump administration "will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes."
Rubio also barred Afshar’s husband from entering the United States.
The move is part of a broader effort.
Earlier this month, the department terminated the legal status of the daughter of a former senior Iranian official and her husband, who have since left the country.
Soleimani, who commanded the Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force, was killed in a 2020 U.S. drone strike in Iraq ordered by then-President Donald Trump.
No criminal charges were filed against Afshar and her daughter in the arrests; authorities acted under immigration law to revoke the women’s permanent resident status.
The State Department credited the Department of Homeland Security and ICE for carrying out the operation.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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