ICE arrests family of dead IRGC head Soleimani, Rubio revokes green cards

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked the green cards for both the niece and the grandniece of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Major General Qasem Soleimani. The two were arrested on Friday evening. 

According to a press release from the State Department, "Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As identified by both press reporting and her own social media commentary, Soleimani Afshar is an outspoken supporter of the totalitarian, terrorist regime in Iran."

The State Department said that while Afshar was living in the US, "she promoted Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks against American soldiers and military facilities in the Middle East, praised the new Iranian Supreme Leader, denounced America as the 'Great Satan,' and voiced her unflinching support for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated terror organization."

"Until recently, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were green card holders living lavishly in the United States. Afshar is the niece of deceased Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani. She is also an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our country as the "Great Satan,'" Rubio said in a post

"This week, I terminated both Afshar and her daughter's legal status and they are now in ICE custody, pending removal from the United States. The Trump Administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes," the Secretary of State added. 

Soleimani was killed on January 3, 2020, during President Donald Trump's first administration. At the time, he was the head of the IRGC. Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated in recent weeks, after the president ordered strikes on Iran on February 28. Trump has indicated that the conflict will be resolved soon.