Federal Immigration Crackdown Leads to Arrest of 11 Iranians, Including Terror Watchlist Suspect and Former IRGC Member

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested Mehran Makari Saheli, an Iranian national, at his home in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 22, 2025. / Credit: Department of Homeland Security

In a sweeping 48-hour immigration enforcement operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested 11 Iranian foreign nationals across nine cities in eight states, including one individual listed on the U.S. terror watchlist. Among those detained was a former member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), with alleged ties to Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization.

The coordinated arrests began on Sunday, June 22, and included targeted operations in states such as Minnesota, Mississippi, and Alabama. ICE identified the individuals as posing threats to public safety, noting that all 11 face criminal allegations in addition to civil immigration violations. Five of the men reportedly have previous convictions for offenses including grand larceny, drug trafficking, and illegal firearm possession.

One of the most high-profile arrests was that of Mehran Makari Saheli, who was taken into custody at his residence near St. Paul, Minnesota. According to ICE, Saheli admitted to having past affiliations with the IRGC and Hezbollah. Another detainee, Yousef Mehridehno, was apprehended near Jackson, Mississippi, after living in the U.S. illegally for nearly eight years. Officials revealed he had lied on a visa application and was added to the terror watchlist earlier this year.

Ribvar Karmi, arrested in northern Alabama, was reportedly found with an Iranian Army sniper ID and had entered the U.S. in October 2024 on a K-1 visa reserved for fiancés of American citizens. Karmi is now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

Authorities have not connected these individuals to specific terrorist plots. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) emphasized that the arrests were part of an ongoing national security effort following recent U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Despite the heightened tension, DHS has stated there are no current, credible threats to the homeland.

In addition to the Iranian nationals, ICE arrested U.S. citizen Linet Vartaniann on federal charges of threatening law enforcement and harboring an illegal alien. Officials said Vartaniann threatened to shoot federal agents during their attempt to execute an arrest at her home.

ICE reports that the arrests are part of a broader initiative under President Trump’s immigration policy, aimed at increasing enforcement and removing individuals deemed high-risk. Daily immigration arrests have reportedly risen from 660 in the early days of the Trump administration to 1,200 in June, with a White House goal of reaching 3,000 per day.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “We are getting the worst of the worst out. We don’t wait for a military operation to act — we proactively deliver on President Trump’s mandate to secure the homeland.”

In the last fiscal year, ICE arrested 68 Iranian nationals, including 47 with criminal convictions, as part of a total 113,000 nationwide arrests—most of whom were from Mexico and Central America.

Following escalating tensions with Iran and Israeli military campaigns, the DHS activated the National Terrorism Advisory System over the weekend. Intelligence officials warn of the risk of retaliatory physical or cyber attacks, including potential acts of homegrown extremism.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that federal officials are working closely with state governments and law enforcement to identify and address suspicious activity. Asked about potential Hezbollah sleeper cells in the U.S., Noem acknowledged concerns about individuals returning from overseas radicalized, stating, “We have to watch for all of it, and to be diligent on all of it.”