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Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked the lawful permanent resident status of two relatives of slain Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, leading to their detention by federal immigration authorities, the State Department said Saturday.
Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, both green card holders living in Los Angeles, were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday night following Rubio’s decision, according to a State Department statement.
“Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As identified by both press reporting and her own social media commentary, Soleimani Afshar is an outspoken supporter of the totalitarian, terrorist regime in Iran,” the State Department released in a statement.
“While living in the United States, she promoted Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks against American soldiers and military facilities in the Middle East, praised the new Iranian Supreme Leader, denounced America as the ‘Great Satan,’ and voiced her unflinching support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated terror 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 statement continued.
In a post on X, Rubio confirmed the action, writing that he had terminated the legal status of both individuals and that they are now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
“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. The Trump Administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes,” Rubio wrote.
The State Department also said Afshar’s husband has been barred from entering the country.
No criminal charges have been filed against Afshar or her daughter. Authorities acted under immigration law, which allows the government to revoke permanent residency status in certain circumstances and initiate deportation proceedings.
The action is part of a broader administration effort to scrutinize individuals with ties to foreign adversaries. Earlier this month, officials said they had similarly revoked the legal status of another individual connected to a former Iranian official. Soleimani, who led Iran’s Quds Force, was killed in a 2020 U.S. drone strike in Iraq ordered by then-President Donald Trump.