Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, niece of the late Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, and her daughter are now in the custody of US federal agents after Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled their lawful permanent resident status. Rubio stated that they had been living in the US on green cards and described Afshar as an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime, which has been hostile towards the United States. He emphasized that the Trump Administration would not allow the US to harbor individuals who support anti-American terrorist regimes. The State Department confirmed that Afshar's husband has also been barred from entering the US. This action follows the revocation of residency for Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, daughter of a former Iranian official, as part of a broader crackdown on individuals associated with the Iranian government. The context of these actions is heightened by ongoing tensions between the US and Iran, particularly following Soleimani's assassination in a US drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020. Soleimani was a key figure in Iran's military operations and had significant influence in the region.