U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that, in addition to being arrested, their residency has also been permanently revoked. As reported by The Telegraph, Rubio expressed that Mrs. Soleimani Afshar, Soleimani's niece, was "a staunch supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks against Americans and referred to our country as the Great Satan." He added: "The Trump Administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreigners who support anti-American terrorist regimes."
The U.S. Department of State insisted that Mrs. Soleimani Afshar "spread regime propaganda while enjoying a luxurious lifestyle in Los Angeles, as evidenced by her frequent posts on her recently deleted Instagram account."
Mrs. Soleimani Afshar entered the United States in June 2015 on a tourist visa, while Mrs. Hosseiny entered on a student visa in July of the same year. "It is a privilege to be granted a green card to live in the United States of America. If we have reason to believe that a green card holder poses a threat to the U.S., the card will be revoked," stated the Department of State.
On the other hand, an official from the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated yesterday that the women detained by ICE were not related to Soleimani. Additionally, Narjes Soleimani, daughter of the Iranian general, declared: "The individuals arrested in the United States have no relation whatsoever to the martyr Soleimani."