The United States has revoked the permanent residency of two women related to Qassem Soleimani, the late major general who led Iran’s Quds Force, the foreign branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), from 1998 until his assassination in 2020.

In a statement on April 4, the US Department of State revealed that Soleimani’s niece, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, and her daughter were arrested on Friday night.

Both are currently being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as the US seeks their departure from the country.

The case raises questions about the limits of free speech rights in the US and the extent to which family members should be punished for their relations.

Citing media reports and social media posts, the State Department described Soleimani Afshar as “an outspoken supporter of the totalitarian, terrorist regime in Iran”. It added that such speech would not be tolerated under US President Donald Trump.

“The Trump Administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes,” the statement said.

The announcement comes at the five-week mark of the US and Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28.

The case marks at least the second time this month that the US government has stripped legal immigration status from family members related to top leaders in Iran.

On social media, Secretary of State Marco Rubio took credit for the decision to nix the two women’s green cards. He pointed to Soleimani Afshar’s comments as the reason for her and her daughter’s arrest.

“This week, I terminated both Afshar and her daughter’s legal status,” Rubio wrote.

“She is also an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our country as the ‘Great Satan’.”

The State Department also highlighted Soleimani Afshar’s “lavish lifestyle” in Los Angeles in its statement. As part of the decision, Soleimani Afshar’s husband is also barred from entering the US.