U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained 11 Iranian nationals amid heightened security concerns following recent U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Among those arrested was Ribvar Karimi, a former sharpshooter in Iran’s elite army, who was apprehended in Locust, Alabama. Karimi had entered the U.S. on a K-1 visa—granted to individuals intending to marry American citizens—but failed to meet legal visa requirements, making him eligible for deportation. He was found carrying identification connecting him to the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. ICE officials say Karimi’s arrest is part of a broader national operation targeting individuals with suspected ties to extremist organizations.
Another detainee, Mehran Makari Sahel from St. Paul, Minnesota, is a former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who admitted having links with Hezbollah. While no active terror plots have been linked to the group, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remains on high alert, warning of possible sleeper cell threats. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called for increased vigilance by state and local authorities. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) echoed concerns, citing the interception of a boat carrying Iranian nationals off Florida’s coast. Critics of President Biden have pointed to what they describe as weak border policies that allowed more than 1,200 Iranians into the U.S. over four years. DHS has also issued warnings about potential cyberattacks, violent acts, and antisemitic hate crimes stemming from the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.
