US Revokes Green Cards and Arrests Iranian General's Family Members in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, 5 April 2026
Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked permanent residency status for Qasem Soleimani’s niece and grand-niece, leading to their arrest by federal agents on Saturday. The Trump administration accused them of promoting Iranian regime propaganda and celebrating attacks on American soldiers whilst living in the United States since 2015.
Details of the Arrests and Legal Proceedings
Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter Sarinasadat Hosseiny were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Saturday, 4th April 2026, following Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s decision to revoke their lawful permanent resident status [1][2]. The arrests occurred after federal authorities discovered what they termed fraudulent asylum claims, with the Department of Homeland Security alleging that Soleimani Afshar’s multiple trips to Iran since receiving her green card in 2021 demonstrated that “her asylum claims were fraudulent” [1]. According to official records, Soleimani Afshar entered the United States on a tourist visa in 2015, was granted asylum in 2019, and became a green card holder in 2021 [1]. Her daughter came to the US in 2015 on a student visa, received asylum in 2019, and obtained a green card in 2023 [1]. During Soleimani Afshar’s naturalisation application filed in 2025, she revealed that she had visited Iran four times since receiving her green card, which authorities cited as evidence of fraudulent asylum claims [1].
Allegations of Pro-Iranian Activities
The State Department accused Hamideh Soleimani Afshar of being an “outspoken supporter of the totalitarian, terrorist regime in Iran” and alleged that she had promoted “Iranian regime propaganda” on her social media accounts [1]. According to US authorities, Soleimani Afshar openly celebrated attacks against US soldiers and military installations, expressed unwavering support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and praised Iran’s Supreme Leader [2][3]. The allegations include that she referred to the United States as the “Great Satan” and celebrated the rise of Mojtaba Khamenei [3]. Additionally, Soleimani Afshar’s husband has been barred from entering the United States, though the State Department did not release his name [1]. These activities allegedly occurred whilst both women were living as lawful permanent residents in Los Angeles, benefiting from US immigration protections whilst supporting what the Trump administration characterises as anti-American activities [2][3].
Family Disputes and Wider Crackdown
The arrests have sparked disputes within the extended Soleimani family, with Narjes Soleimani, the daughter of the late Iranian general, issuing a statement denying any connection between the arrested individuals and her father. “The individuals arrested in the US have no connection whatsoever to Martyr Soleimani and the claims made by the US State Department are false,” she stated, adding that the US had “become so weak and insignificant” and was “fabricating lies against a great figure” [1]. The arrests are part of a broader Trump administration crackdown on Iranian-linked individuals in the United States. Earlier in April 2026, Marco Rubio also revoked the legal status of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, daughter of former Iranian National Security Council secretary Ali Larijani, and her husband Seyed Kalantar Motamedi, who subsequently departed the US and face permanent entry bans [2][3]. Rubio’s office has indicated plans to review additional cases in the coming weeks, targeting individuals with US residency who openly defend Tehran [3].
Regional Context and Historical Background
These arrests occur against the backdrop of escalating US-Iran tensions, with the US and Israeli militaries having begun waging war on Iran in late February 2026 [2]. The Trump administration’s actions represent a continuation of hostilities that intensified following the assassination of Qasem Soleimani in January 2020. Soleimani, who was 62 years old at the time of his death, commanded Iran’s elite Quds Force and was killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad airport during Trump’s first presidential term [1][2]. The Iranian general was considered a hero in Iran but was held responsible by the United States for orchestrating attacks that killed hundreds of American service members and allies prior to 2020 [3]. Iranian officials have repeatedly vowed to avenge Soleimani’s killing, with former President Ebrahim Raisi stating in early 2023: “We have not and will not forget the blood of martyr Soleimani. The Americans must know that revenge for martyr Soleimani’s blood is certain, and the murderers and perpetrators will have no easy sleep” [2]. The current arrests of Soleimani’s relatives represent what the Trump administration frames as preventing the US from becoming “a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes,” according to Rubio’s statement [2].