Rubio Revokes Green Cards of Iranian 'Screaming Mary's' Family
Left says
- •The administration is implementing guilt-by-association policies that punish family members for actions they did not personally commit
- •Due process protections are being undermined when green card holders can have their status revoked without proper judicial review
- •These actions target individuals based on their national origin and family connections rather than their own conduct or security threats
- •The policy creates a dangerous precedent that could affect other immigrant communities and undermine America's tradition of welcoming those seeking better lives
Right says
- •America should never provide sanctuary to families of terrorists who participated in attacks against American citizens and interests
- •The Obama administration's decision to grant green cards to these individuals in 2016 represented a serious national security failure
- •The Trump administration is fulfilling its duty to protect Americans by removing those with connections to hostile foreign regimes
- •Permanent residency is a privilege that should be reserved for those who support American values, not those tied to anti-American terrorism
Common Take
High Consensus- Masoumeh Ebtekar served as spokesperson for the militants who held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days during the 1979 Iran embassy crisis
- The affected individuals received their green cards through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program in 2016 during the Obama administration
- National security considerations should play a role in immigration decisions and visa approvals
- The 1979 Iran hostage crisis was a traumatic event that caused significant harm to American hostages and their families
The Arguments
Right argues
The Obama administration's decision to grant green cards to the family of 'Screaming Mary' - the spokesperson for terrorists who tortured American hostages for 444 days - represents a fundamental failure to protect national security and shows why aggressive vetting is necessary.
Left counters
Punishing children and spouses for the actions of a family member they did not choose violates basic principles of individual responsibility and creates a dangerous precedent where guilt is inherited rather than earned through one's own conduct.
Left argues
Revoking green cards without proper judicial review undermines due process protections that are fundamental to American law, allowing the executive branch to strip legal residents of their status based on family associations rather than their own actions or proven security threats.
Right counters
Permanent residency is a privilege, not a right, and the government has both the authority and responsibility to revoke that privilege when it determines that individuals have connections to hostile regimes that could compromise national security.
Right argues
These individuals benefited from their family connection to a regime propagandist while living 'lavish' lifestyles in America, making it reasonable to question their loyalty and remove them as a precautionary measure to protect American citizens.
Left counters
Living a comfortable life in America and having family ties to controversial figures does not constitute evidence of disloyalty or security risk - this reasoning could be applied to strip rights from any immigrant community with complex political histories.
Left argues
This policy creates a chilling effect that undermines America's tradition of welcoming those seeking better lives, potentially deterring legitimate immigrants who fear their family histories could be used against them regardless of their own conduct or values.
Right counters
America's generosity should not extend to those with direct family ties to anti-American terrorists - maintaining clear boundaries about who deserves the privilege of permanent residency is essential for both security and public trust in the immigration system.
Challenge Questions
These questions target genuine internal contradictions — meant to provoke honest reflection.
Right asks Left
“If due process protections are paramount, how do you reconcile supporting sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants while demanding extensive judicial review for revoking the legal status of those with documented ties to hostile regimes?”
Left asks Right
“If family connections to hostile actors justify removal regardless of individual conduct, should this principle also apply to naturalized citizens whose relatives later engage in anti-American activities, and where does this logic of inherited guilt ultimately end?”
Outlier Report
Left Fringe
Progressive immigration activists like Ilhan Omar and AOC who might frame this as pure xenophobia without acknowledging the specific terrorist connections represent about 15-20% of the left.
Right Fringe
Hardline figures like Stephen Miller or Tucker Carlson who might use this to call for broader ethnic-based deportations represent about 25-30% of the right.
Noise Assessment
Moderate noise level - while partisan outlets are amplifying their respective angles, the core facts about the Iran hostage crisis connection create genuine public interest rather than manufactured outrage.
Sources (7)
<p>“Masoumeh Ebtekar – also known as ‘Screaming Mary’ – was the spokeswoman for the Islamic terrorists who stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979."</p> The post <a href="https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/04/rubio-strips-green-card-of-screaming-marys-son/">Rubio Strips Green Card of ‘Screaming Mary’s’ Son</a> first appeared on <a href="https://legalinsurrection.com">Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion</a>.
"America can never become home for anti-American terrorists or their families - and under the Trump Administration, it never will," Rubio says
Federal agents this week arrested three Iranian nationals after Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked their lawful permanent resident status, according to a State Department press release issued Saturday.
<p>Three arrested by federal agents had family ties to Iranian military general, regime spokesperson or security chief</p><p>United States federal agents arrested three <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/iran">Iranian</a> nationals – including the son of a revolutionary at the center of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis – after the US state department terminated their green cards, the department announced on Saturday.</p><p>State department officials revoked the green card status of Seyed Eissa Hashemi, whose mother was an Iranian revolutionary who served as the spokesperson for Iran’s regime during the hostage crisis that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/08/jimmy-carter-iran-hostage-embassy">defined</a> the late Jimmy Carter’s presidency. The state department also revoked the green card – or legal permanent resident – statuses of Hashemi’s wife and son.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/11/state-department-revokes-green-cards-iran-arrests">Continue reading...</a>
The Trump administration has revoked green cards for three more Iranian immigrants with alleged ties to the regime, a week after arresting two relatives of slain Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani. The State Department said in a statement that Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi and their son were taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody,…
The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) issued a final order of removal for Mahmoud Khalil on Thursday after the board denied his bid for the deportation case to be thrown out, according to Khalil’s lawyers.   While the rulings by the board are not public, his lawyers shared the news of what they allege is a politically motivated decision. “I…