U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has taken into custody 11 Iranian nationals due to increased security concerns following recent military actions by the U.S. and Israel against Iranian nuclear facilities.
Among those detained is Ribvar Karimi, a former sharpshooter in Iran’s elite military, who was arrested in Locust, Alabama. Karimi entered the U.S. on a K-1 visa, which is issued to individuals planning to marry American citizens, but he did not comply with the legal requirements of the visa, rendering him subject to deportation.
He was discovered with identification linking him to the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. ICE officials state that Karimi’s arrest is part of a larger national initiative aimed at individuals suspected of having connections to extremist groups.
Another individual in custody, Mehran Makari Sahel from St. Paul, Minnesota, is a former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who acknowledged having associations with Hezbollah. Although there are no active terror plots associated with this group, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remains vigilant, cautioning about potential sleeper cell threats.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has urged state and local authorities to enhance their vigilance. Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) has also expressed concerns, referencing the interception of a boat carrying Iranian nationals off the coast of Florida.
Critics of President Biden have highlighted what they consider to be ineffective border policies that permitted over 1,200 Iranians to enter the U.S. in the past four years. Additionally, DHS has issued alerts regarding possible cyberattacks, violent incidents, and antisemitic hate crimes arising from the intensifying conflict between Iran and Israel.
