US arrests relatives of assassinated Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in immigration crackdown

In a move that highlights the escalating tension between Washington and Tehran, U.S. immigration authorities have arrested two relatives of the late Iranian ​general Qassem ​Soleimani: his niece, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, and her daughter, Sarinasadat Hosseiny.

The arrests followed a formal revocation of their Lawful Permanent Resident status, or "green cards”, by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Fraudulent asylum and lavish lifestyles

The two women were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday (Apr. 3) and are currently pending removal from the country.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleged that Afshar, who entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2015 and was granted asylum in 2019, had fundamentally undermined her legal status.

In a 2025 naturalisation application, she reportedly disclosed four separate visits to Iran, trips the DHS claims "illustrate her asylum claims were fraudulent", as reported by the BBC.

State Department officials further alleged that the pair enjoyed a "lavish lifestyle" in Los Angeles, which was documented on Afshar’s recently deleted Instagram account, according to AP News.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio described her as someone who promoted state propaganda on X.

"She is also an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our country as the 'Great Satan'."

Tehran disputes family connection

The arrests have been met with a firm rebuttal from Iran.

Narjes Soleimani, the daughter of the late general, stated that the arrested individuals "have no connection whatsoever" to her father, adding that the U.S. was "fabricating lies against a great figure", according to the BBC.

Iranian state media, citing foreign ministry officials, noted that the late commander, who was killed in a 2020 US airstrike, had two nephews but no nieces, as cited by Reuters.

The family maintains that no relatives of the general have ever lived in the United States.

A broader crackdown

The detentions coincide with the sixth week of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and represent a wider campaign by the Trump administration to target individuals linked to the Tehran government.

Other recent actions include the termination of visas for several Iranian diplomats and staff at the United Nations mission in New York. Additionally, the State Department confirmed that Ms Afshar’s husband is now officially barred from entering the country.

While the administration has stepped up deportation efforts against those it deems threats, the move has drawn criticism from rights advocates.

Concerns have been raised regarding due process and the potential suppression of free speech, particularly as many immigrants previously detained by ICE have been released following successful court challenges.

Top images via justice4allreporters/Insta, visegrad24/X