ICE Busts Iranian Sniper and Hezbollah Terrorist Hiding in America
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a nationwide sweep on June 22, 2025, arresting 11 Iranian nationals, including individuals with ties to terrorism and serious criminal histories, for illegally residing in the country. The operation, targeting suspected threats like a former Iranian Army sniper and a Hezbollah-linked ex-Revolutionary Guard member, underscores heightened U.S. security measures amid global tensions following the Israel-Iran war.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) executed a coordinated operation across eight states, apprehending 11 Iranian nationals illegally residing in the U.S., some with suspected terrorist affiliations and criminal records. The arrests, coinciding with U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during the 12-day Israel-Iran war, reflect intensified efforts to counter potential security threats. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “Under Secretary Noem, DHS has been full throttle on identifying and arresting known or suspected terrorists and violent extremists that illegally entered this country, came in through Biden’s fraudulent parole programs or otherwise. We have been saying we are getting the worst of the worst out, and we are. We don’t wait until a military operation to execute; we proactively deliver on President Trump’s mandate to secure the homeland.”
In St. Paul, Minnesota, ICE detained Mehran Makari Saheli, a 56-year-old former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) member with admitted ties to Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist group. Saheli, previously convicted in Minneapolis for illegal firearm possession and sentenced to 15 months, defied a 2022 removal order. In Locust, Alabama, Ribvar Karimi, a former Iranian Army sniper from 2018 to 2021, was arrested carrying an Iranian military ID. Karimi entered the U.S. in October 2024 on a K-1 fiancé visa but failed to adjust his status, making him deportable. His American wife, Morgan Gardener, claimed he posed no threat, saying, “This man loves America, the first purchase he made when he got here was an American flag.”
In Tempe, Arizona, ICE arrested Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand, charged with illegal firearm possession as an alien, alongside U.S. citizen Linet Vartanian, who threatened to “shoot ICE officers in the head” while harboring him. In Houston, Behzad Sepehrian Bahary Nejad was detained with a loaded 9mm pistol, despite a 2019 removal order. He faced prior charges for assaulting a family member, prompting a restraining order. Other detainees, including those with convictions for drug trafficking, grand larceny, and fraud, had evaded removal orders for years. All remain in ICE custody pending deportation, as the U.S. heightens vigilance against potential Iranian “sleeper cells” amid escalating Middle East tensions.