The U.S. government just pulled a high-stakes move: the niece and grandniece of slain Iranian General Qassem Soleimani had their green cards revoked after allegedly showing support for the Iranian regime and celebrating attacks on U.S. military personnel.
The two were arrested by ICE in Los Angeles on Friday, leaving neighbors in the quiet Tujunga neighborhood stunned.
According to officials, the women had been living in Los Angeles and previously in Tonga, keeping a relatively low profile, until federal authorities intervened.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the action, highlighting that holding a green card in the U.S. is a privilege, not a right, especially for anyone posing a threat to national security.
The women, identified as Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, are now in ICE custody awaiting removal proceedings.
Rubio cited their social media activity, which allegedly supported anti-American terrorist acts, as grounds for revocation. The move also included barring Nesa Soleimani, Afshar’s husband, from entering the U.S.
This latest development ties back to broader tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
After Soleimani was killed in a U.S. airstrike in 2020, concerns over the influence of his family members in America have grown. DHS emphasized that green card holders aligned with hostile regimes risk losing their legal status.
Neighbors described the arrest as shocking, noting that the women “kept a low profile” and had rarely interacted with the community.
President Trump’s former administration set the precedent that foreign nationals supporting anti-American regimes would face strict consequences, a policy Rubio reiterated in today’s action.
While the story continues to unfold, one thing is clear: U.S. authorities are signaling zero tolerance for foreign nationals with ties to regimes hostile to American interests.