In a sweeping national security crackdown, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested 130 Iranian nationals across multiple states over the past week, bringing the total number of Iranian detainees in federal custody to 670. The arrests come on the heels of recent U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, prompting urgent warnings from federal officials about the risk of retaliatory attacks and sleeper cell activity.
According to sources cited by Fox News, the detainees include individuals with prior criminal convictions—including drug trafficking, weapons violations, and domestic violence. These developments are unfolding against the backdrop of an escalating border crisis, with critics pointing to lax vetting procedures under the Biden administration as a critical vulnerability in national security.
“This isn’t just about border policy anymore,” said one former border enforcement agent. “This is a question of how many threats we’ve already let in.”
Notable Arrests Linked to Iranian Military and Extremist Networks
Among those arrested is Ribvar Karimi, a former sniper in the Iranian military, who entered the U.S. on a K-1 visa intended for foreign fiancés of American citizens. Karimi failed to change his immigration status after entering the country and was detained in Locust, Alabama, while carrying identification linked to the Iranian army.
In a separate case, Mehran Makari Sahel, a former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) with admitted ties to Hezbollah, was arrested in St. Paul, Minnesota. His detention came during a multi-state ICE operation targeting sanctuary cities across eight states—part of a broader enforcement campaign aimed at rooting out suspected terrorists operating within the United States.
“We are no longer waiting for an attack to act,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “We’re going after threats proactively—before innocent Americans are harmed.”
Deportation Challenges — and a New Legal Pathway
The crackdown comes amid a recent Supreme Court ruling that allows for the deportation of individuals to third-party countries, a key development that could help expedite removals for detainees who cannot be sent directly to Iran due to strained diplomatic ties.
While Iran and the U.S. have no formal repatriation agreement, the new ruling provides a legal avenue for ICE to remove high-risk individuals more swiftly, potentially to countries willing to accept them under humanitarian or bilateral arrangements.
Trump’s Cease-Fire Holds, but Threat Levels Remain High
Despite President Trump’s recent cease-fire announcement with Iran, U.S. counterterrorism agencies remain on elevated alert, with continued surveillance of domestic threats potentially linked to Iranian operatives. National security officials are especially focused on the possibility of sleeper cells activated in retaliation for the nuclear strikes.
Federal agents are also working closely with foreign intelligence partners to trace the entry paths and affiliations of detainees, many of whom arrived through legal channels or blended into the migrant surge at the southern border.
Political Ramifications and Public Reaction
The arrests are already fueling renewed calls for stricter immigration controls, especially from conservative lawmakers and security hawks who have criticized the administration’s failure to vet high-risk individuals entering the country.
“This is what happens when you open the floodgates at the border,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. “Terrorists are walking into our country — and ICE is left to clean up the mess.”
As public anxiety grows and the national conversation pivots sharply toward homeland security, ICE officials have vowed to intensify operations in the coming weeks, warning that more arrests are likely imminent.
“We’re not going to let America be caught off guard,” McLaughlin said. “We’re taking every threat seriously — and acting before it’s too late.”
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