The United States has canceled the green cards of two relatives of slain Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani as tensions escalate between Washington and Tehran.Qassem Soleimani led Iran’s Quds Force and was killed in a US drone strike in 2020. It was an event that continued to shape relations between the two countries.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, identified as Soleimani’s niece, and her daughter have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and face deportation. The move comes as the Trump administration has increased pressure on Iran amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.Announcing the decision, Rubio accused Afshar of supporting the Iranian government. “While in the United States, he promoted Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks against U.S. troops and military facilities in the Middle East, praised the new Iranian Supreme Leader, denounced the U.S. as ‘the Great Satan,’ and voiced his steadfast support for the designated terrorist organization the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps,” the statement said.Expressing such views, he said that Afshar was living comfortably in America. “Afshar Soleimani promoted this propaganda for Iran’s terrorist regime while enjoying a lavish lifestyle in Los Angeles, as evidenced by frequent posting on his recently deleted Instagram account,” it continued.In a post on Twitter, Rubio said, “Until recently, Hamideh Suleimani Afshar and her daughter were green card holders living graciously 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 ICE, pending removal from the United States.”He added, “The Trump administration will not allow our country to become home to foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes.”According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), both women entered the US separately in 2015, Afshar on a tourist visa and her daughter on a student visa. Afshar later applied for naturalization in 2025 and disclosed multiple trips to Iran.Acting Assistant Homeland Security Director Lauren Biss said, “His trips to Iran demonstrate that his asylum claims were fraudulent.” He further said, “Obtaining a green card to reside in the United States is a privilege. If we have reason to believe that the green card holder is a threat to the United States, the green card will be revoked.”This action has taken place at a time when tension between America and Iran is increasing. US President Donald Trump recently warned Tehran against reaching a ceasefire agreement and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil supplies. The route carries about 20 percent of the world’s oil, and sanctions have already sent fuel prices soaring.“Remember when I gave Iran 10 days to make a deal or open the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said in one post. The MAGA leader added: “Time is running out – 48 hours before all hell will reign over them. Glory be to God!”