USCIS Flags Vetting Failures as State Department Revokes Green Cards for Soleimani Relatives and Other Iranian Nationals Tied to Tehran Regime; Rep. Tiffany Proposes SAFER Act to Strip Asylum From Returnees
The State Department has revoked green cards and visas for at least four Iranian nationals tied to the Tehran regime—including Qasem Soleimani’s relative Hamideh Soleimani Afshar (and her daughter), who were arrested by ICE in Los Angeles, and academic Fatemeh Ardeshir‑Larijani and her husband—after officials said Afshar publicly supported the regime and DHS alleges her 2019 asylum claim was fraudulent because she traveled to Iran multiple times. USCIS warned an internal review found prior vetting “wholly inadequate,” has paused and ordered broad re‑reviews of asylum and immigration benefit applications from “high‑risk” countries for entrants since President Biden took office, and Rep. Tom Tiffany has introduced the SAFER Act to bar asylum and enable termination/denaturalization of asylees who voluntarily return to their claimed home country.
📌 Key Facts
- A USCIS internal review (issued March 30) found prior screening and vetting were "wholly inadequate," acknowledging some individuals "should not have been" approved; USCIS has placed a hold and review on pending asylum and immigration‑benefit applications from "high‑risk countries" and will re‑review and potentially (re)interview applicants who entered the U.S. on or after President Biden took office, with authority to extend those measures.
- The State Department has revoked or declined to renew green cards/visas for at least four Iranian nationals tied to the current or former Iranian government, not limited to Qasem Soleimani’s relatives.
- Named people affected include Hamideh Soleimani Afshar (Soleimani’s niece) and her daughter Sarinasadat Hosseiny (grandniece), and Fatemeh Ardeshir‑Larijani (daughter of former national security adviser Ali Larijani) and her husband, Seyed Kalantar Motamedi; some have left the U.S. and others have had U.S. residency or visas terminated.
- Hamideh Soleimani Afshar’s lawful permanent resident status was terminated, and she and her daughter were arrested by ICE late on Friday and are currently in ICE custody; authorities say Afshar’s husband has been barred from entering the U.S.
- DHS and the State Department allege Afshar promoted Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks on U.S. forces, denounced the U.S. as the "Great Satan," and lived a "lavish lifestyle" in Los Angeles; Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly described her as an outspoken supporter who celebrated attacks on Americans.
- DHS/USCIS now alleges Afshar’s 2019 U.S. asylum grant was fraudulent, citing at least four subsequent trips back to Iran after she obtained a green card.
- Separately, the State Department in early December revoked or declined to renew visas for several Iranian diplomats and staff at Iran’s U.N. mission, including the deputy ambassador, a move State says was unrelated to later protests or the war.
- Rep. Tom Tiffany (R‑Wis.) has introduced the SAFER Act (Stopping Asylum Fraudsters Enforcement and Removal Act) to bar asylum grants to foreign nationals who voluntarily return to their home country after claiming persecution and to authorize DHS and the attorney general to terminate asylum status and denaturalize asylees who do so, except where the State Department certifies a legitimate transfer of power and resolution of the original threat; Secretary Rubio tied the current actions to his prior use of the same authority last year against pro‑Palestinian activists, efforts that have faced lawsuits alleging First Amendment violations.
📊 Relevant Data
Between fiscal years 2016 and 2022, the asylum grant rate for Iranian nationals in the United States averaged around 60-70%, which is higher than the overall average grant rate of about 30-40% for all nationalities during the same period.
Immigrants from Iran in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
Iranian Americans have a median household income of approximately $92,000 as of 2022, compared to the national median of $70,000, and 79% of Iranian adults aged 25 and older hold at least a bachelor's degree, versus 36% of the overall US population.
7 facts about Iranians in the U.S. — Pew Research Center
Primary causal factors for Iranian immigration to the US since 2010 include political instability, economic sanctions, and opportunities for employment-based permanent residence, with over 30% of Iranian immigrants arriving via employment pathways and about one-third through humanitarian protection.
Immigrants from Iran in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
From 2020 to 2026, there have been multiple national security incidents involving Iranian nationals or Iran-linked actors in the US, including cyber intrusions into critical infrastructure such as oil, gas, and water sites, and charges against Iranian spies for infiltrating Silicon Valley tech firms.
Iran-linked hackers have disrupted multiple US industrial sites — CNN
As of 2024, the Iranian population in the US has grown to about 750,000, representing 0.2% of the total US population, with significant concentrations in California (over 200,000) and Texas (around 42,000), reflecting a 53% increase since 2000 driven by post-revolution migration waves.
Where Do Most Iranians Live in the US? — Social Explorer
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"The piece argues that immigration policy ought to be selective by country — backing tougher vetting and preferential admission for nationals of well‑governed states while treating 'high‑risk' origin countries more restrictively — and treats recent USCIS/State Department revocations and re‑reviews of Iranian‑linked cases as evidence supporting that approach."
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., has introduced the SAFER Act ('Stopping Asylum Fraudsters Enforcement and Removal Act') to bar asylum grants to any foreign national who voluntarily returns to their home country after claiming persecution.
- The bill would authorize DHS and the attorney general to terminate asylum status and denaturalize asylees who return to their home country while living in the U.S., except where the State Department certifies a legitimate transfer of power and resolution of the original threat.
- Fox reiterates DHS reporting that Hamideh Soleimani Afshar’s 2019 U.S. asylum grant is now viewed as fraudulent in part because she took at least four subsequent trips back to Iran.
- USCIS issued a March 30 alert saying an internal review found prior screening and vetting measures were 'wholly inadequate' and that 'many applicants for naturalization and lawful permanent residence were not sufficiently vetted.'
- USCIS acknowledged that some individuals were approved and naturalized who 'should not have been.'
- In response, USCIS has placed a hold and review on all pending asylum and immigration‑benefit applications filed by aliens from 'high‑risk countries' and will conduct a comprehensive re‑review and potential (re)interviews for all such applicants who entered the U.S. on or after the day Joe Biden took office, with authority to extend this to others.
- The Fox report explicitly links these vetting gaps to how Qasem Soleimani’s niece, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, and grandniece, Sarinasadat Hosseiny, were able to gain lawful permanent status before their recent arrests in Los Angeles.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s public statement is quoted more fully, including his description of Soleimani Afshar as an 'outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime' who 'celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our country as the "Great Satan."'
- DHS now publicly alleges Hamideh Soleimani Afshar’s 2019 asylum claim was "fraudulent," citing at least four trips back to Iran after she obtained a green card.
- The article confirms Afshar’s lawful permanent resident status has been terminated and that she and her daughter were arrested Friday night and are currently in ICE custody.
- The State Department says Afshar’s husband has been barred from entering the U.S.
- The piece details government rhetoric that Afshar promoted Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks on U.S. forces, denounced America as the "Great Satan," and lived what officials describe as a "lavish lifestyle" in Los Angeles.
- Secretary Marco Rubio explicitly links this action to his use of the same rarely used authority last year against several pro‑Palestinian activists, including Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, and notes those efforts have been partially stalled by federal lawsuits alleging First Amendment violations.
- The article adds background that top Iranian security official Ali Larijani was killed in an airstrike last month and that his daughter Fatemeh Ardeshir‑Larijani and her husband have left the United States.
- Confirms that at least four Iranian nationals connected to the current or former Iranian government have had either green cards or U.S. visas revoked, not just Soleimani’s niece and daughter.
- Names additional affected individuals: Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, an academic and daughter of former Iranian national security adviser Ali Larijani, and her husband, Seyed Kalantar Motamedi, whose visas were also revoked.
- Clarifies that the actions against Soleimani’s niece Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were taken 'this week' when Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined they were no longer eligible for lawful permanent residency, leading to their late-Friday ICE arrests.
- Adds State Department characterization that Afshar and her daughter had been living a 'lavish lifestyle' in Los Angeles while publicly supporting the Iranian government and anti-American attacks, and quotes Rubio’s X post labeling Afshar an outspoken supporter of the regime who called the U.S. the 'Great Satan.'
- Reveals that in early December the State Department revoked or declined to renew visas for several Iranian diplomats and staffers at Iran’s mission to the United Nations, including the deputy ambassador, and that State says that move on Dec. 4 was unrelated to later protests or the war.