Chicago – April 04, 2026
U.S. federal agents have detained the niece and grand-niece of slain Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani after Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked their lawful permanent resident status, according to the State Department. The women, identified as Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, are being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Reuters reported.
The State Department said the move followed concerns over alleged support for Iran’s government, while the Department of Homeland Security described Afshar’s 2019 asylum claim as fraudulent. Officials also said Afshar had traveled back to Iran multiple times after receiving a green card, and her husband has been barred from entering the United States.
Soleimani, the former commander of Iran’s Quds Force, was killed in a 2020 U.S. drone strike in Baghdad. The case adds to already strained U.S.-Iran tensions and underscores the Trump administration’s tougher line on immigration and national security.
