Government Strips Green Cards from Family of Qasem Soleimani

On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that two relatives of the late Qasem Soleimani have had their green cards revoked and are now in custody.

General Soleimani was a prominent figure in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and was killed in a U.S. airstrike back in January 2020. The State Department indicated that Soleimani’s niece and daughter had been living “a life of luxury in Los Angeles.” It’s important to mention that these advanced IED components linked to Soleimani were used against American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Last night, federal agents arrested Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter after Secretary Rubio revoked their lawful permanent resident status,” the report stated. “They are currently being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It is evident from both her public statements and social media that Soleimani Afshar is a fervent supporter of Iran’s totalitarian regime.”

Secretary Rubio noted that up until recently, Hamideh and her daughter were living comfortably in the U.S. as green card holders. He pointed out that she consistently promoted Iranian regime propaganda and expressed vehement support for actions against U.S. military personnel abroad.

In a recent interview, Rubio emphasized that the U.S. will not tolerate individuals who back anti-American terrorism. He also discussed the need to revoke visas for international students who support groups like Hamas, especially after the violent attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023.

He reiterated the legal stance that individuals supporting terrorist organizations shouldn’t receive visas, stating that anyone discovered to be a supporter of Hamas should have their visa canceled and face deportation.