Conservative media activist Laura Loomer asserted this weekend that her direct reporting to federal authorities precipitated the arrest and pending deportation of two relatives of Qasem Soleimani, the former Iranian military commander killed by a U.S. drone strike in 2020. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained Soleimani's niece, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, and her daughter in California on Friday night.
In social media statements, Loomer detailed months of monitoring Afshar's online activity, which she characterized as pro-regime propaganda posted from Los Angeles. "I exposed the fact that Qasem Soleimani's niece has been living in the United States where she posts pro-Iranian regime and pro-IRGC content on her social media while she lives a life of luxury," Loomer wrote. She claims to have compiled evidence into a secure file shared with the Department of Homeland Security and State Department.
The State Department confirmed the arrests Saturday, noting Secretary of State Marco Rubio had terminated the women's lawful permanent resident status. A DHS spokesperson said both individuals are being held at a detention facility in Pearsall, South Texas. When questioned about Loomer's influence, a State Department spokesperson declined to comment on "private conversations that may or may not have happened."
However, Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of State for global public affairs, reposted Loomer's claim of responsibility. Rubio's official statement aligned with Loomer's characterization, describing Afshar as "an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our country as the 'Great Satan.'" Rubio added, "The Trump Administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes."
This incident occurs against a backdrop of escalating hostilities between Washington and Tehran. The Trump administration recently issued Tehran a deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face sustained strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure. Iran has dismissed U.S. diplomatic proposals as excessive, showing little willingness to comply with American demands.
The broader conflict has seen direct military engagements, including an Iranian missile strike that injured U.S. troops at a Saudi base and a daring American rescue operation for a downed airman inside Iranian territory. Regional proxies have also expanded hostilities, with Houthi forces claiming missile attacks on Israel following Iranian warnings.
Loomer's involvement highlights the unconventional channels through which immigration enforcement actions are now sometimes initiated. Her March announcement that she had reported Afshar to authorities included claims of direct communication with Rubio's team and DHS counterterrorism officials, who she said were "looking into my evidence immediately."
The case raises questions about visa and residency policies toward individuals connected to adversarial regimes. Some analysts have urged a recalibration of U.S. visa policy to more precisely target regime affiliates rather than the Iranian populace generally. Meanwhile, Iran's domestic situation grows increasingly precarious, with a former World Bank president warning its economy approaches barter-system collapse under the strain of conflict and sanctions.
As detention proceedings advance for Soleimani's relatives, the episode demonstrates how immigration enforcement intersects with broader geopolitical confrontation, while illustrating the growing influence of activist-driven reporting on government actions.
