ICE Arrests Niece of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Los Angeles

US immigration authorities have arrested a niece of the late Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in Los Angeles after revoking her residency status, officials said, citing alleged support for Iran’s leadership and its military forces.

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The US State Department confirmed that Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, 47, and her daughter Sarinasadat Hosseiny, 25, were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Friday. Authorities said both women had their green cards cancelled because of ties to the Iranian government and statements supporting groups designated by Washington as terrorist organisations.

Officials alleged that while living in the United States, Afshar publicly promoted Iranian government messaging and praised the country’s military leadership on social media.

Allegations of Pro-Regime Support

In a statement, the State Department said Afshar had shared posts celebrating attacks on American troops and military installations in the Middle East. Officials also said she expressed support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the United States designates as a terrorist organisation.

The department further alleged that Afshar referred to the United States as the “Great Satan” — a phrase long used by Iranian leaders to criticise Washington — and voiced backing for Iran’s leadership.

Afshar entered the United States in 2015 on a tourist visa, according to the Department of Homeland Security. She was later granted asylum in 2019 and obtained permanent resident status in 2021.

Authorities said she travelled to Iran at least four times after receiving her green card.

Her daughter Hosseiny arrived in the United States the same year on a student visa and obtained permanent residency in 2023.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said permanent residency could be revoked if authorities believed the holder posed a threat.

“It is a privilege to be granted a green card to live in the United States,” spokesperson Lauren Bis said. “If we have reason to believe a green card holder poses a threat to the US, the green card will be revoked.”

Arrests in Los Angeles

Afshar was living in a two-bedroom residence in the Tujunga area of Los Angeles, about 20 miles north of the city centre. Local residents said she occupied a unit at the rear of a property on Plainview Avenue.

Neighbour Halasius Bradford said ICE officers detained Hosseiny while she was in a car with her boyfriend near the property.

“He said the agents were demanding to know where the mother was,” Bradford told reporters.

Officials also said Afshar’s husband has been barred from entering the United States.

Wider Context

The arrests come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran during a continuing US-Israel conflict with Iran.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the decision to revoke the pair’s residency status, writing on social media that the administration would not allow foreign nationals who support hostile regimes to remain in the country.

Afshar is related to Qasem Soleimani, the former commander of Iran’s Quds Force, who was killed in a US drone strike ordered by then-president Donald Trump near Baghdad International Airport in 2020.

Washington said at the time that Soleimani had been planning attacks against US diplomats and military personnel in Iraq.

Iran continues to honour the general’s legacy. Iranian media have reported that a new ballistic missile model has been named “Haj Qassem” in his memory.

Previous Action Against Iranian Officials’ Families

The State Department also recently revoked the legal status of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larjiani, the daughter of Iranian political figure Ali Larijani, who previously served as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Officials said the measure formed part of broader efforts to prevent individuals connected to Iran’s leadership from residing in the United States while supporting the country’s government.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 5 April 2026