WASHINGTON – Federal immigration authorities have detained two relatives of the deceased Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani following the cancellation of their permanent resident status by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a State Department announcement made Saturday.
The detained individuals have been identified as Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, who is the niece of the late Iranian commander, along with her daughter, making her Soleimani’s grand-niece. Both women had previously held lawful permanent resident status in the United States.
“Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” the State Department confirmed in their official statement released after Rubio’s action to revoke their green cards.
