Trump Administration Arrests Soleimani’s Relatives in Los Angeles After Revoking Permanent Residency Status

Secretary Marco Rubio revokes green cards of Qassem Soleimani's niece and grand-niece in Los Angeles, accusing them of promoting Iranian propaganda in 2026.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 5, 2026, 11:53 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Noah Goldberg

The Abrupt Termination of a West Coast Sanctuary

On Saturday, the Trump administration announced the detention of two relatives of the late Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Federal agents arrested Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, the niece of the former Quds Force leader, and her daughter, Sarinasadat Hosseiny, following a direct order from the State Department. This enforcement action resulted in the immediate revocation of their lawful permanent resident status, a move orchestrated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to Rubio, the administration will not permit the United States to serve as a residence for foreign nationals who purportedly support anti-American terrorist regimes.

A Legacy of Conflict and the 2020 Drone Strike

The late Qassem Soleimani was a central figure in Iran’s military hierarchy, commanding the elite Quds Force until his death in a U.S. drone strike in January 2020. During President Trump’s first term, the Pentagon authorized the strike at a Baghdad airport, citing intelligence that Soleimani was actively developing plans to target American diplomats and military personnel in the Middle East. While he was viewed as a national hero in his home country, the U.S. government has long classified the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a designated terrorist organization. According to federal reports, the current focus on his relatives highlights a persistent effort to monitor the influence of the late general’s family members residing within American borders.

The Regulatory Scrutiny of Secretary Marco Rubio

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spearheaded this initiative, utilizing his administrative authority to terminate the legal status of individuals linked to the Iranian military apparatus. According to Rubio, federal authorities detained Soleimani Afshar and her daughter on Friday to ensure they no longer benefit from the privileges of U.S. residency. The operation also involved Lauren Bis, the Acting Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, who provided the specific immigration records for both individuals. The administration's rhetoric suggests that these detentions are part of a broader strategy to remove residents who voice unflinching support for the Iranian regime’s ideological stances.