ICE conducted a targeted operation over the weekend, arresting 11 Iranian nationals across nine U.S. cities. Among those detained were:
- Mehran Makari Sahel: A former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps member with confessed Hezbollah ties and a prior firearm conviction in Minnesota. Despite a 2022 deportation order, he remained in the country.
- Ribvar Karimi: Ex-Iranian army sniper, discovered in Alabama carrying an Iranian military ID. He entered the U.S. in October 2024 on a K‑1 visa but failed to adjust his status.
- Yousef Mehridehno: Listed on a terror watchlist, arrested in Mississippi after allegedly lying on visa documents and committing marriage fraud.
- Other detainees included five individuals with criminal convictions ranging from grand larceny to drug offenses, and various immigration violations.
An additional arrest involved U.S. citizen Linet Vartaniann, who allegedly threatened ICE officers while harboring an undocumented Iranian national.
ICE emphasized that all persons detained face charges extending beyond immigration violations. DHS officials cited growing concern over possible sleeper cells operating amid heightened tensions following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. This enforcement aligns with President Trump’s ongoing border security directive.