Leyla Mirjavadi and her daughter, Saba, came to the United States and were granted political asylum. The daughter was the product of an arranged marriage in Iran. Mirjavadi's husband, Orang Fabriz was also her first cousin.

Fabriz also moved to the U.S. and was granted visitation rights. Mirjavadi, however, claims he threatened to kill her and she worried he would kidnap their child. Mirjavadi was so worried about a possible abduction that she had hired a lawyer to supervise Fabriz's visits with Saba.