ICE Detained Iranian Women Based on False Claims from Laura Loomer, Records Show

ICE Arrests Based on False Allegations from Laura Loomer

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested two Iranian green card holders—Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, Sarina Hosseiny—at their home outside Los Angeles earlier this month. The arrests followed claims by activist Laura Loomer that the women were relatives of the late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.

No Connection to Soleimani Family, Documents Confirm

A new report from Drop Site, which reviewed birth records, identification papers, a family will, and other personal documents, found no evidence linking the women to Soleimani. Qassem Soleimani was killed in a 2020 drone strike ordered by then-President Donald Trump.

Statements from Soleimani’s Daughters Dispute Claims

Qassem Soleimani’s youngest daughter, Zeinab Soleimani, told Iranian media that the State Department’s allegations were “false.” She stated, “The individuals arrested in the United States have no connection whatsoever to our family.”

Another daughter, Narjes Soleimani, added in a separate statement, “To this day, no member of the Soleimani family, nor any relative of General Soleimani, has resided in the United States.”

Loomer’s Role in Triggering the Arrests

Loomer, a well-known Islamophobe and political activist, had previously targeted the women. In March, she claimed to be in contact with Senator Marco Rubio, alleging that Soleimani’s niece was “making threats against the Trump administration” and posting “jihadi content” while living “in extreme luxury in Los Angeles.”

State Department Revokes Green Cards Based on Flawed Intelligence

Following the arrests, the State Department issued a statement claiming to have revoked the green cards of “the niece and grand-niece of deceased Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Major General Qasem Soleimani.” The department also accused them of “living lavishly in the United States.”

Friends and Family Dispute Lavish Lifestyle Claims

Hosseiny’s friends have refuted the State Department’s claims, stating that the mother and daughter were behind on mortgage payments and are now relying on friends to cover legal costs related to their ICE detention.

Hosseiny told Drop Site that her mother was not a pro-regime operative. She explained that Hamideh Soleimani Afshar had been active in protest movements in Iran during the 1990s and 2000s, even spending a week in prison for her activism.

“She’s kind of a passionate person overall, and she thought that she was going to come here and be able to talk freely when she’s been threatened and imprisoned in Iran for speaking about politics,” Hosseiny said. “Now she’s again in prison for speaking out about politics.”

Family’s Persecution in Iran Led to U.S. Escape

Hosseiny revealed that her family fled Iran under duress after she participated in a dance competition in Turkey at age 12. The competition was aired on a satellite channel illegal in Iran. She was expelled from two schools and faced threats from conservative family members with ties to the Iranian government.

At age 14, she and her mother immigrated to the U.S. on a student visa. Hosseiny now faces deportation based on allegations that have been thoroughly debunked by family records and statements.