Hezbollah Link Among 11 Iranians Arrested By ICE In 48-Hour Sweep

Federal immigration officials have arrested 11 Iranian nationals since Sunday, including a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps member with “admitted connections to Hezbollah” and an individual on the U.S. terrorist watchlist.

The operations, which occurred amid heightened tensions following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, spanned eight states and nine cities, with all 11 Iranians accused of crimes exceeding civil immigration violations, according to CBS News. The arrests come as security experts warn that Iran’s proxy network, which includes Hezbollah and other terrorist groups, has established connections within the United States that could be activated.

Federal agents discovered an Islamic Republic of Iran Army identification card on Ribvar Karmi when he was apprehended in Alabama. He served as an Iranian Army sniper from 2018 to 2021 and entered the U.S. in October 2024 on a K-1 visa for migrants engaged to American citizens. Karmi is set to remain in ICE custody until removal proceedings begin.

Mehran Makari Sahel, arrested in Minnesota, is a former member of the Iranian military’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and had “admitted connections to Hezbollah,” according to ICE.

Another arrestee, Yousef Mehridehno, had been living illegally in America for nearly eight years after lying on a visa application. He was apprehended on Sunday in Mississippi, four months after being added to the U.S. terrorist watchlist.

During the last fiscal year, ICE arrested just 68 Iranian foreign nationals.

“We have been saying we are getting the worst of the worst out — and we are,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told CBS. “We don’t wait until a military operation to execute; we proactively deliver on President Trump’s mandate to secure the homeland.”

ICE told CBS the arrests represent part of the Trump administration’s illegal immigration crackdown, with average daily arrests climbing from 660 in President Donald Trump’s first 100 days to 1,200 in June as the White House aims for 3,000 arrests per day.

In addition to the 11 Iranians arrested over the past 48 hours, Linet Vartaniann, a U.S. citizen, was also apprehended during the operation. Vartaniann faces federal charges for threatening to “shoot officers in the head” during the arrest of an unlawfully present Iranian national she was allegedly harboring.

The Department of Homeland Security activated its National Terrorism Advisory System hours after the weekend strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

The advisory warned of potential retaliatory actions, including physical attacks or cyber operations targeting American infrastructure.

The Trump administration has directed federal agencies to increase monitoring of suspected Iranian agents and sympathizers following the weekend’s military action.