US-Iran Tensions: Soleimani’s Nieces Arrested and US Soldier Rescued

The United States government has revoked the legal residency status of several Iranian nationals, leading to the arrest and pending deportation of two relatives of the late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani. Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that the individuals were no longer eligible for lawful permanent resident status or entry into the United States.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter in Los Angeles on April 3, 2026. The State Department confirmed the arrests followed the revocation of their green cards. The husband of Hamideh Soleimani Afshar has been banned from entering the United States.

Basis for Revocation and Detention

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Trump administration will not allow the U.S. To become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes. Rubio described Hamideh Soleimani Afshar as an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to the United States as the Great Satan.

According to the State Department, Afshar and her daughter had lived a lavish lifestyle in Los Angeles for several years while publicly supporting the Iranian government and anti-American attacks.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provided further details regarding the fraudulent nature of their asylum claims. Hamideh Soleimani Afshar entered the U.S. On a tourist visa in 2015, was granted asylum in 2019, and became a green card holder in 2021. However, during a naturalization application in 2025, she revealed that she had visited Iran four times after receiving her green card, which the DHS stated illustrated that her asylum claims were fraudulent.

Her daughter, Sarinasadat Hosseiny, entered the U.S. In 2015 on a student visa. She was granted asylum in 2019 and received a green card in 2023.

Broader Context of U.S.-Iran Relations

These actions are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to target Iranian nationals connected to the current or former Iranian government. At least four Iranian nationals have had their green cards or visas revoked. This follows a move in late 2025 in which the visas of several staffers and diplomats at the Iranian mission to the United Nations were also revoked.

Qassem Soleimani, the former chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in a U.S. Airstrike near the Baghdad airport in 2020. The strike was ordered by then-President Donald Trump.

The daughter of Qassem Soleimani has disputed the U.S. Government’s claims, asserting that the arrested individuals have no connection whatsoever to her father.

Separately, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Has rescued a downed Air Force officer who was located deep inside Iran.