On April 4, 2026, U.S. federal agents detained Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter in Los Angeles, following the revocation of their lawful permanent resident status by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The arrests occurred as part of heightened scrutiny of individuals linked to the Iranian government amid ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

Soleimani, the former commander of Iran's Quds Force, was assassinated in a U.S. airstrike in January 2020, which has since led to escalating conflicts in the region. The State Department described Afshar as an "outspoken supporter" of the Iranian regime, highlighting her social media posts that purportedly celebrated attacks on American personnel.

Secretary Rubio stated that Afshar and her daughter had been living a lavish lifestyle while promoting Iranian propaganda, including denouncing the U.S. as the "Great Satan." The duo is now in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), pending deportation.

In response to the arrests, Narjes Soleimani, Soleimani's daughter, refuted the U.S. claims, asserting that the detained individuals have no ties to her father. This incident signifies a continuing trend of the U.S. government revisiting immigration statuses connected to foreign nationals considered threats, particularly in light of national security concerns.

This move aligns with recent efforts by the Biden administration to enforce immigration policies against those allegedly linked to regimes deemed hostile to U.S. principles. Following this incident, the status of other Iranian nationals with connections to the government is also under review.