Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, 47, niece of the late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, and her 25-year-old daughter, Sarinasadat Hosseiny, are facing deportation from the United States after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Los Angeles. Their green cards have been revoked following accusations by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who alleged that Afshar celebrated the deaths of American soldiers and promoted Iranian regime propaganda during President Donald Trump's ongoing conflict with Iran.

The mother and daughter were known for documenting a lavish lifestyle on their now-deleted social media accounts, showcasing opulent holidays, expensive cars, and stylish parties. Afshar, who initially entered the US in June 2015 on a tourist visa, frequently posted images of herself adorned in gold jewelry, dispatching from helicopters, and relaxing in designer clothing, including Louis Vuitton. Her daughter, who arrived with her mother on a student visa, shared photos of herself by a pool in a black bikini, displaying tattoos, and posing in a halter-neck party dress next to rosé, often enjoying outfits deemed illegal in Tehran where women face strict dress codes.

Qassem Soleimani, Afshar's uncle, was a highly influential Iranian military figure, commander of the Quds Force, and architect of Iran’s terror activities throughout the Middle East. He was killed by a US Reaper drone strike, ordered by President Trump at Baghdad airport in January 2020. Before his death, Soleimani was considered the country's second most powerful commander after the Supreme Leader, responsible for hundreds of American deaths in Iraq and numerous militia attacks against Israel. He was designated a terrorist by the US and Israel in 2011, and the entire Quds Force was listed as a foreign terrorist group by the Trump administration in 2019.

A press release from the State Department, following the women's arrest, accused Afshar of 'promoting Iranian regime propaganda,' specifically stating she had 'praised the new Iranian Supreme Leader, denounced America as the "Great Satan" and voiced her unflinching support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated terrorist organisation.' Despite these allegations, the mother and daughter were granted asylum by a judge in 2019. Afshar received her green card in 2021, and her daughter in 2023, both under the Biden administration. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed that Afshar's July 2025 naturalization application disclosed at least four trips to Iran since being issued her green card, potentially rendering her asylum claims 'fraudulent'. It is notable that DHS has not accused Hosseiny of asylum fraud or making statements against the US. Afshar’s husband has also been barred from entering the US.

Marco Rubio confirmed the termination of their permanent resident status, stating they are now in ICE custody pending removal. He emphasized that the Trump Administration would not permit the country to become a home for foreign nationals supporting anti-American terrorist regimes. Public records show Afshar resided in a $740,000 home in the Tujunga neighborhood of Los Angeles, purchased for $505,000 in September 2021. Afshar's anti-American rhetoric reportedly intensified recently, following renewed US bombing campaigns in Iran, which included the death of the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This situation mirrors the earlier termination of legal status for Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, daughter of veteran Iranian politician Ali Larijani, and her husband, Seyed Kalantar Motamedi, who are now barred from entry after Ali Larijani was killed in a US-Israeli air attack.

However, an Iranian foreign ministry official and Narjes Soleimani, the slain commander’s daughter, have publicly claimed that Afshar and Hosseiny are not related to Qassem Soleimani. Narjes Soleimani stated that his family has never lived in the US and that he had two nephews, not nieces, asserting, 'The individuals arrested in the US have no connection whatsoever to Martyr Soleimani and the claims made by the US State Department are false.'

In related developments, President Trump issued strong threats on Truth Social, vowing to destroy Iran's power plants and bridges if it failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping by a Tuesday deadline. He stated, 'If they don't do something by Tuesday evening, they won't have any power plant and they won't have any bridges standing,' dismissing concerns about the suffering of Iranian citizens.