Washington, D.C. – The United States has deported Masoumeh Ebtekar — a former senior Iranian regime official and spokesperson for the Islamist students who seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 — along with her entire family. Ebtekar, widely known as “Screaming Mary” for her role during the 444-day Iran Hostage Crisis, was granted legal permanent residency in the U.S. in 2014 under the Obama administration via the Diversity Visa Lottery program. She had also served as Vice President of Iran until 2021.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took her family members — Saeed Issa Ashami, Maryam Tahmasbi, and their son — into custody this week. Their legal status has been revoked, and they are now pending deportation.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Trump administration emphasized that individuals who participated in or supported actions against the United States will no longer be allowed to enjoy residency or benefits in the country.

The deportation marks a significant reversal of policies from the Obama era and aligns with the current administration’s hardline stance on individuals linked to the Iranian regime or anti-American activities.