U.S. Deports Relatives of Iranian Elite Officials

State Department revokes green cards of family members with ties to Iranian regime

Apr. 12, 2026 at 9:06am

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A dynamic, abstract painting with overlapping shapes and colors representing Iranian identity documents and U.S. immigration paperwork, conveying the complex intersection of politics and immigration.The U.S. government’s deportation of Iranian officials’ family members reflects a hardline immigration policy aimed at the Iranian regime.Los Angeles Today

The U.S. government has revoked the permanent resident status of several family members of high-ranking Iranian officials, including the son, daughter-in-law, and grandchild of former Iranian vice president Masume Ebtekar. The deportations are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to target relatives of the Iranian elite who have sought refuge in the U.S.

Why it matters

The deportations represent a shift in U.S. immigration policy, moving away from previous administrations’ approaches that often overlooked the political backgrounds of applicants’ relatives abroad. The Trump administration is using immigration as a tool to apply pressure on the Iranian regime and its supporters.

The details

Seyed Eissa Hashemi, the son of former Iranian vice president Masume Ebtekar, entered the U.S. on a student visa in 2014 and later received a green card through the diversity visa lottery program. However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has now revoked Hashemi’s permanent resident status, along with that of his wife and child, and they are currently in immigration custody awaiting deportation. Just last week, the State Department similarly revoked the legal status of relatives of Qasem Soleimani, the former head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.

  • In 2014, Seyed Eissa Hashemi entered the U.S. on a student visa.
  • In 2016, Hashemi and his family received green cards through the diversity visa lottery program.
  • In April 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked the family’s permanent resident status.

The players

Masume Ebtekar

A former Iranian vice president who was known as the “Screenaming Mary” during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis for her role as the Islamists’ chief press secretary.

Seyed Eissa Hashemi

The son of Masume Ebtekar who moved to the U.S. in 2014 on a student visa and later received a green card through the diversity visa lottery program.

Marco Rubio

The U.S. Secretary of State who revoked the permanent resident status of Hashemi and his family.

Qasem Soleimani

The former head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps whose relatives also had their legal status revoked by the U.S. State Department.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Seyed Eissa Hashemi and his family to remain in the U.S. or proceed with their deportation.

The takeaway

The deportations of relatives of Iranian officials highlight the Trump administration’s efforts to use immigration policy as a tool to apply pressure on the Iranian regime. This shift represents a departure from previous approaches that often overlooked the political backgrounds of applicants’ family members.