Three Iranian nationals with alleged ties to Tehran’s political body have had their green cards revoked and are now in ICE custody, marking the latest in a series of actions by Washington targeting individuals linked to the Iranian regime.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Sayed Issa Hashemi, his wife, Maryam Tahmasebi, and their son were arrested after the authorities decided that they pose a potential threat to national security. The family was living in Los Angeles before they were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.The three had resided in the United States for years and were living a comfortable lifestyle before their arrest, the New York Post reported.
The State Department cited their ties to Iran’s ruling establishment as the basis for the action.Al-Hashemi is the son of Masoumeh Ebtekar, a controversial figure in Iran who gained global attention during the Iranian hostage crisis. Ebtekar, often referred to as “Screaming Mary,” served as a spokesperson for militants who stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979 and held American diplomats hostage for 444 days.
She was criticized for promoting propaganda during the crisis.Al-Hashimi entered the United States through San Francisco International Airport in September 2014 on an F-1 student visa. By 2016, he, his wife and their son had obtained green cards during the administration of former US President Barack Obama.Authorities said Al-Hashemi was working as a lecturer at the Chicago School of Psychology. Reports indicated that he refused to comment on his mother’s past when contacted.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stated that the three individuals are considered a threat to national security. Announcing the decision, Rubio said the United States “can never become a home for anti-American terrorists or their families.”“Her family should never have been allowed to benefit from the extraordinary privilege of living in our country,” he added.This development follows a similar move last week involving relatives of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, who led Iran’s Quds Force and was killed in a US drone strike in 2020.
US authorities revoked the green cards of his niece, Hamida Soleimani Afshar, and her daughter, who were later detained and now face deportation. Rubio accused Afshar of supporting the Iranian government while living in the United States.
Rubio said in his post: “Until recently, Hamida Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were green card holders living lavishly in the United States. This week I terminated the legal status of both Afshar and her daughter and they are now in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, awaiting their removal from the United States.”The MAGA rule asserts that holding a green card is a privilege, not a right, and can be revoked if an individual is found to pose a threat. The latest measures come amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.
