Rubio moves to deport three Iranian green card holders tied to 1979 hostage crisis figure

In a significant immigration enforcement action, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has moved to deport three Iranian green card holders over their connections to a key figure in the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran. The individuals, whose legal permanent resident status has been terminated, are linked to Masoumeh Ebtekar, the English-speaking voice of the student militants during the 444-day hostage crisis. She became widely known in the U.S. media as 'Screaming Mary' for her intense press briefings.

Among those affected is Ebtekar's son, who had been living in the United States with lawful status. The State Department confirmed the revocations Saturday, stating that the individuals had concealed material ties to Iran's revolutionary regime during their immigration processes. They have since been transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and are now in removal proceedings.

The decision marks the latest in a series of actions by the Trump administration targeting immigrants with alleged affiliations to adversarial governments. Last week, federal agents arrested two relatives of the late Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani on similar grounds. Officials say they're applying stricter scrutiny to visa and green card holders from countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism.

While the individuals were not charged with crimes, the administration argues that their familial and ideological ties pose a national security risk. A senior State Department official said the revocations were based on intelligence indicating ongoing support for Iranian state propaganda and efforts to downplay the hostage crisis's severity.

Immigration lawyers warn the move could set a precedent for broader use of national security grounds to revoke residency, especially for those with controversial family histories. Critics say the line between association and active threat can be blurry, and that such actions may chill free expression among diaspora communities.

Supporters, however, see the decision as long overdue. They point to the emotional weight of the hostage crisis, which deeply scarred U.S.-Iran relations and remains a symbol of anti-American aggression. For many, allowing family members of key figures in that event to reside permanently in the U.S. has been difficult to reconcile.

The case now moves through immigration court, where the individuals will have the chance to contest the revocations. Regardless of the outcome, the action signals a hardening stance on how the U.S. handles residency for those tied to historical or ongoing threats against American interests.