Relatives of Killed Iranian General Arrested by ICE in Los Angeles

The niece and grandniece of Gen. Qasem Soleimani were taken into custody after their green cards were revoked.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 1:14am

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ICE agents arrested the niece and grandniece of deceased Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani in Los Angeles on Saturday, after Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked their lawful permanent resident status earlier this week. The State Department said the women were arrested for promoting Iranian regime propaganda, supporting Iranian-linked terror organizations, and celebrating attacks against American soldiers.

Why it matters

The arrests of Soleimani's relatives highlight the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, particularly after the killing of the powerful Iranian general in 2020. The move to revoke their green cards and detain them reflects the U.S. government's efforts to crack down on perceived Iranian influence and support for terrorism within the country.

The details

Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, the niece of Gen. Qasem Soleimani, and her daughter were taken into custody by ICE agents on Saturday. The State Department said the arrests were based on Afshar's promotion of Iranian regime propaganda, support for Iranian-linked terror organizations, and celebration of attacks against American soldiers and military assets in the Middle East. Earlier this month, the State Department also terminated the legal U.S. status of Fatemeh Argeshir-Larijani, the daughter of former Secretary of the Supreme National Council of Iran Ali Larijani, and her husband.

  • On January 3, 2020, Gen. Qasem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. military airstrike on his motorcade near the Baghdad airport during the first Trump administration.
  • This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked the green cards of Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter.
  • On Saturday, ICE agents took Afshar and her daughter into custody.

The players

Hamideh Soleimani Afshar

The niece of deceased Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who was arrested by ICE along with her daughter after their green cards were revoked.

Qasem Soleimani

A powerful Iranian general who was killed in a U.S. airstrike in 2020.

Marco Rubio

The U.S. Secretary of State who revoked the green cards of Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter earlier this week.

Fatemeh Argeshir-Larijani

The daughter of former Secretary of the Supreme National Council of Iran Ali Larijani, whose legal U.S. status was also terminated by the State Department earlier this month.

Ali Larijani

The former Secretary of the Supreme National Council of Iran, whose daughter and son-in-law had their U.S. legal status terminated.

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What they’re saying

“Until recently, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were green card holders living lavishly in the United States. Afshar is the niece of 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'.”

— Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter to be released on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the U.S. government's ongoing efforts to crack down on perceived Iranian influence and support for terrorism within the country, even targeting the relatives of high-profile Iranian figures like Gen. Qasem Soleimani. It raises questions about the balance between national security concerns and civil liberties.