politics
U.S. Revokes Green Cards of Iranian Leader's Relatives
The U.S. government has revoked the green cards of Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, who are relatives of the late Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani. They were granted asylum in 2019, but authorities now claim the application was fraudulent and that Afshar supported Iranian regime activities. The State Department and DHS are moving to deport them, citing national security concerns.
Apr 4, 3:49 PM·2m read1 source
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The U.S. State Department announced that it has revoked the green cards of Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, who are the niece and grand-niece of the late Iranian Revolutionary Guard Major General Qasem Soleimani. They were granted asylum and permanent resident status in 2019, but this status was terminated, leading to their arrest on Friday night.
CBS News reported that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security described Afshar's asylum claim as fraudulent, pointing to at least four trips she made back to Iran after receiving her green card.
In a statement, the State Department said Soleimani Afshar promoted Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks against U.S. forces in the Middle East, and criticized the U.S. The statement also noted that her husband has been barred from entering the United States. The government is now proceeding to strip them of their green cards and pursue deportation, as stated by a DHS spokesperson.
Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian military leader, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq in January 2020. He played a key role in Iran's regional military activities and was viewed as a national icon by supporters of Iran's theocracy. His prominence grew after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, where he was involved in arming militants, according to historical context provided in reports.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also terminated the legal status of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, daughter of former Iranian official Ali Larijani, and her husband, Seyed Kalantar Motamedi. Ali Larijani, a top Iranian security official, was killed in an airstrike last month, and his daughter and son-in-law are no longer in the country.
Rubio stated that the U.S. will not allow individuals who support anti-American regimes to reside in the country.
This action follows Rubio's use of similar powers last year to detain and deport pro-Palestinian activists with legal status, including Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil. Those efforts faced challenges from federal court lawsuits alleging violations of free speech rights.
