U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced the revocation of residency status for members of the family of former Iranian Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Masoumeh Ebtekar, escalating a politically charged immigration enforcement decision.
Rubio said the United States has terminated the visas and lawful permanent residency of Ebtekar’s son, Eissa Hashemi, along with his wife and child, stating that they “should never have been allowed to benefit from the extraordinary privilege of living in our country.”
In a post on X, Rubio confirmed that the individuals are currently in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), where they are being held pending deportation proceedings.
He linked the decision to Ebtekar’s historical political role, referring to her past as a spokesperson during the 1979 U.S. Embassy hostage crisis in Tehran, and accused her of association with anti-American activities. Ebtekar has previously served in senior Iranian government positions and is a well-known political figure in Iran.
Rubio also criticized earlier U.S. immigration decisions, stating that visas were granted to Ebtekar’s family under the Obama-era immigration system, including permanent residency through the Diversity Visa Program administered during the tenure of the Obama Administration.
“In 2014, the Obama Administration granted visas to her son and his family… In June 2016, they were given lawful permanent resident status,” Rubio wrote, adding that the status has now been revoked.
He further declared that under the current political direction associated with the Trump Administration, the United States would not serve as a destination for individuals or families he described as “anti-American terrorists,” emphasizing a hardline stance on immigration enforcement and national security.