U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 11 Iranian nationals across multiple states over the weekend, citing criminal records and suspected ties to foreign terrorist organizations. The arrests occurred in nine different cities across eight states as part of ongoing national enforcement efforts.
Among those taken into custody was an individual identified as a former member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who reportedly admitted to previous involvement with Hezbollah. Another suspect, a former Iranian Army sniper who arrived in the U.S. on a fiancé visa last year, was also detained. ICE reported that several others had been convicted of crimes including drug trafficking, assault, weapons possession, and fraud.
In one case, a U.S. citizen was arrested for allegedly harboring one of the undocumented individuals and making threats against law enforcement officers. All detainees are currently in ICE custody and face potential deportation proceedings.
Homeland Security officials stated that while these arrests involve individuals with concerning backgrounds, there are no credible threats of terrorism within the U.S. at this time. The arrests fall under ICE’s targeted operations to remove individuals who may pose public safety risks or have connections to foreign extremist groups.
