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US says it has arrested relatives of late Iranian ​general Qasem ​Soleimani

April 4, 2026

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked the permanent resident status of two women identified by the US government as relatives of slain Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, placing them in immigration custody for deportation. US authorities claim Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter obtained asylum fraudulently, pointing to Afshar's multiple return trips to Iran after receiving her green card as evidence contradicting her asylum claims. The State Department also alleges Afshar promoted Iranian regime propaganda on social media and lived lavishly in America.

Who is affected

  • Hamideh Soleimani Afshar (identified by US as niece of Gen Qasem Soleimani)
  • Sarinasadat Hosseiny (Afshar's daughter, identified by US as grand-niece of Soleimani)
  • Afshar's unnamed husband (barred from entering the US)
  • US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) (holding the two women in custody)

What action is being taken

  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked the permanent resident status of Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter
  • US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is holding the two women in custody pending removal from the country

Why it matters

  • This case represents a significant immigration enforcement action targeting individuals allegedly connected to Iran's former top military commander, who was killed in a US drone strike. The government's willingness to revoke permanent resident status based on claims of asylum fraud and alleged support for the Iranian regime demonstrates the Trump administration's hardline approach toward individuals with perceived ties to adversarial foreign governments, particularly Iran.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC