As federal officials began looking for potential threats to the United States after its actions in bombing Iran this week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Tuesday that it had arrested a Locust Fork man with an Islamic Republic of Iran Army identification card in a nationwide roundup.
According to DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Ribvar Karimi on Sunday in Blount County's Locust Fork.
Karimi reportedly served as an Iranian Army sniper from 2018 to 2021. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of an Islamic Republic of Iran Army identification card. He entered the United States on a K-1 visa, which is reserved for aliens who are engaged to be married to American citizens, in October 2024, under the Biden administration. Karimi never adjusted his status as required by law and is removable from the United States. He's currently in ICE custody, where he'll remain pending removal proceedings.
The arrest came in a nationwide effort by ICE and DHS officials as concerns heightened over a potential homeland attack as a reprisal for the United States' entering the conflict between Israel and Iran earlier this week. In total, DHS boasted of arresting 11 Iranian nationals with criminal histories or who had made some threatening statements.
"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," said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. "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."
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) responded to the roundup, using it to continue pushing for President Donald Trump’s spending package, which includes funding for removing illegal aliens.
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