Family of Iran military leader Soleimani has U.S. residence visas revoked
Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were granted U.S. asylum in 2019, but the government is now moving to strip them of their green cards.
Updated on: April 5, 2026 / 4:10 PM EDT / CBS News
The niece and grand-niece of deceased Iranian Revolutionary Guard Major Gen. Qasem Soleimani were arrested Friday night after their lawful U.S. permanent resident status was terminated.
The State Department said Saturday in a statement that Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Soleimani Afshar promoted Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks against U.S. forces in the Middle East, and denounced America as the "Great Satan," all while "enjoying a lavish lifestyle in Los Angeles," the statement said.
"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 U.S. State Department said in a statement.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Soleimani Afshar's 2019 asylum claim was "fraudulent," citing at least four trips back to Iran after being issued a green card. Her husband has also been barred from entering the U.S., the State Department said. The government is now moving to strip them of their green cards and ultimately deport them, DHS said.
"It is a privilege to be granted a green card to live in the United States of America. If we have reason to believe a green card holder poses a threat to the U.S., the green card will be revoked," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News.