Latest news with #RibvarKarimi
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Iranian sniper accused of being a sleeper agent
Playing Call of Duty lead to a love match Morgan Gardner never expected. When she started to play the online game in 2020, known as a violent first-person shooter contest, she didn't think she'd meet her future husband. Or that he'd be half a world away in Iran. But a friendship that was sparked online evolved into a romance that turned into a marriage between Gardner - a blonde, blue-eyed Alabama girl - and Ribvar Karimi, 26, an Iranian army sniper who moved to America to be with her - and was arrested this weekend as the US waged war with Tehran. 'Never did I think I was going to meet someone that way. Never did I think I would marry someone from another country,' Gardner told the Daily Mail. Now the newlyweds are being tested. Karimi was arrested by US immigration officials over the weekend along with 10 others as part of what ICE called their 'commitment to keeping known and suspected terrorists out of American communities'. His wife, who is seven months pregnant, believes he was unfairly targeted as American relations with Iran continue to fracture. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents came to their home about an hour outside Birmingham, claiming he was no longer legally in the country because he'd missed a deadline to file paperwork for his fiancé visa, which allowed him legal entry to the country in October. In their announcement of his arrest, ICE also pointed to Karimi's service as a sniper in the Iranian army from 2018 to 2021 - an ominous fact, given Trump's ongoing warnings about dormant terror sleeper cells who spring up to attack America at any given moment. Gardner, 30, insists that any suggestion her husband is dangerous is 'ridiculous'. 'I'm heartbroken. This man wears the American flag proudly on everything he owns. I know a lot of people have stereotypes about people from the Middle East, and that's unfortunately what happened to him.' She claimed that the first thing he bought when he got off the plane was an American Flag, and questioned why he would do that when it'd get him killed back in Iran. The couple disclosed his involvement in the army on his visa application and he underwent extra vetting because of his country of origin and military service, she said. 'We never hid it from them. We gave him his military card in his interview. We gave them the card when they showed up to our house on Sunday. We thought it was best to be honest because we have nothing to hide.' Gardner also stated that military service is mandatory in Iran, and that he's Kurdish, an ethnic group in Iran that is often persecuted by the Iranian government. Kurds tend to be Sunni Muslims in a mostly Shia country. 'He's not a terrorist, he's not part of a terrorist organization. He loves this country. He fought against ISIS. 'For goodness sake, his groom's cake at our wedding was an American flag with bullets on it that says, 'We the people.' He was so happy for small freedoms, like being able to wear shorts, because even men can't do that in Iran.' The pair found love online while he was still serving in the military. 'We were on the same team during one game. We liked playing together so much that we would always invite each other to play if we would see each other online,' the bride explained of their Call of Duty courtship. Online meetings turned into private messaging where the pair discussed the countries they were from, what they believed and joked constantly. 'We were always laughing. We got to know each other's hearts. Finally, I brought up that we should meet,' she added. After a year and a half of getting to know each other online, the pair planned a meeting in Turkey. 'We cried when we first met for the first time. There was no awkwardness. We said I love you, too.' 'Then it became about, how do I have you in my life?' 'He suggested I move to Iran, but then I said, 'Why can't you come to America and live with me?' He said, 'I'm from Iran. That will never happen.' The couple became engaged during their first three-week-long meeting in Istanbul. Gardner started looking into a fiancé visa for him, a process that took nearly three years to get approved. Eight more trips to Turkey, usually between 2-3 weeks each, followed along with the couple's family talking to try to understand and get comfortable with their whirlwind relationship. 'At first, my family wasn't so sure, but after they talked to him, they changed their minds. My father said after talking to him the first time that he knew it was okay,' she recounted. In October, Karimi's K-1 visa was approved and he was finally cleared to come to the US. The couple wed on January 18 and Gardner learned she was carrying their first child soon after they said 'I do.' Their honeymoon phase turned to worry after learning their pregnancy was high risk, however, the couple forged on, planning a baby shower for their son this coming weekend. Everything changed when ICE showed up at their door Sunday, claiming he was no longer in the US legally because he never filed additional paperwork proving that the marriage had actually happened. Gardner insists they were not give a deadline to submit the requirement. She has now hired an attorney who has confirmed that they were in compliance. 'He did confirm with me that there's no deadline on getting that paperwork completed. He was probably picked up because of everything that happened in Iran over the weekend. Gardner says she has had to use her life's savings to pay for lawyers fees, already spending $12,000 just to get him here, and expecting to pay at least $10,000 more in an attempt to get him released. She is asking for donations online to help pay for the expenses and travel to Louisiana to see her husband, where ICE is expected to transfer him in a few days. With the help of a lawyer, she is hoping he will be released on bond soon, but she's prepared to be alone during their baby shower this weekend. 'I'm not feeling that patriotic right now. I feel really disappointed as an American citizen,' she said. 'I feel like this is just a huge misunderstanding.'
Newsweek
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Iranian Immigrant Detained By ICE Is a Trump Supporter, Wife Says
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The heavily pregnant wife of an ex-Iranian army soldier detained by federal immigration agents has told Newsweek her husband supports President Donald Trump and that he never tried to hide is military service. Ribvar Karimi was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on June 22 in Locust, Alabama, according to his family. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says that Karimi served as a sniper in the Iranian Army from 2018 to 2021. He entered the U.S. on a K-1 fiancé visa in October 2024 but failed to adjust his immigration status as required, making him subject to removal, according to ICE. His wife Morgan Karimi told Newsweek in an exclusive interview: "My husband himself even being from Iran supported Trump, his immigration policies and understood he was trying to protect the American people and was praying he helped free the Iranian people. "He believed in him as well. My husband is from the Kurdish region of Iran, where the people are good people and desperate for freedom from the regime." Newsweek has contacted DHS for comment via email. The Context Iranian nationals have been thrust into the national spotlight in the U.S. following President Trump's recent strike on the country's nuclear facilities. The announcement regarding Iranian nationals allegedly in the U.S. illegally comes as concerns grow about potential terror cells that could be activated in response to the military action. Ribvar Karimi was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on June 22 in Locust, Alabama, according to his family. He is seen here with his wife Morgan on their wedding day. Ribvar Karimi was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on June 22 in Locust, Alabama, according to his family. He is seen here with his wife Morgan on their wedding day. Supplied What To Know Morgan Karimi, who met Ribvar in 2020 through the video game Call of Duty, stressed her husband's loyalty to the United States, saying his first purchase in the U.S. was an American flag. "This man wears the American flag proudly, and it's a shame that someone who is so proud to be here is at risk of being robbed of building the life he has dreamed of for so long. His groom's cake at our wedding was an American flag cake," Morgan said. Morgan, who is seven-and-a half-months pregnant with their first child, a boy, is expected to give birth on August 20th. The couple wed in January this year. Ribvar Karimi does not currently work and Morgan said they were focused on her complicated pregnancy, during which doctors detected fluid in the baby's lungs and heart. She says the health issues have delayed the couple's filing of Ribvar's adjustment of status, paperwork that they had ready to send in at the time of his arrest. "All of the paperwork had been completed and ready to file. We were ready to send it in and planned on doing so as soon as I gave birth," Morgan said. However, ICE showed up before they were given that opportunity. ICE first went to Morgan's parent's home and then showed up at hers. Morgan said they cooperated fully. "Ribvar and I were waiting on our front porch waiting for them to arrive. Once they got there we freely gave them everything we had," she said. "They told us the reason for his detainment was because we had not yet filed for his adjustment of status." Morgan said there is no official deadline for filing the adjustment of status under a K-1 visa, only that the couple must marry within 90 days, which they did. "This would be much easier to understand if there was a deadline issued for the adjustment of status, but there wasn't. We thought we had time. I am a rule follower and believe in doing the right thing. I never would've put my husband in this position especially this close to our child being born." She said that Ribvar's military service in Iran was never concealed from immigration authorities. His documents, including his military card, were submitted voluntarily to the authorities. "He did serve mandatory military service in Iran. He was made to do this, and 100 percent against the regime. In Iran, if you don't serve in the military then you can't get a passport to ever leave your country." His family fears that if he is deported, he will be detained or killed in Iran due to his open support for the U.S. and opposition to the Iranian regime. His brother, a political refugee, currently lives in France. Morgan, who said she did not vote in the 2024 election, told Newsweek her family has historically supported Trump. She now feels betrayed by the system. "I am just so heartbroken and desperate to get my husband home before I give birth," she said. "We believed in his [Trump's] immigration policies and were completely blindsided and truly believed that only criminals were being detained. "Everyone feels like a fool and regrets the decision. I personally didn't vote in the last election, and neither did my parents. At this point, I believe there are bad people on the left and the right." The administration announced on Tuesday that ICE agents apprehended 11 Iranian citizens over the weekend who were in the country unlawfully, including Ribvar. The cases come amid a backdrop of heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran after Trump ordered strikes on suspected Iranian nuclear sites. It follows an escalation between Israel and Iran with sides exchanging airstrikes in the region. What People Are Saying The Department of Homeland Security said in a press release about the arrest of 11 Iranian nationals: "On June 22, ICE Atlanta arrested Ribvar Karimi in Locust, Alabama. Karimi reportedly served as an Iranian Army sniper from 2018 to 2021 and at the time of his arrest, in his possession, he had an Islamic Republic of Iran Army identification card. He entered the U.S. on a K-1 visa, which is reserved for aliens engaged to be married to American citizens, in October 2024 under the Biden administration. Karimi never adjusted his status—a legal requirement—and is removable from the United States. He's currently in ICE custody, where he'll remain pending removal proceedings. In the same release, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said: "Under Secretary [Kristi] 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." What Happens Next As Morgan prepares to give birth to their first child, she will continue fighting to bring her husband home before the baby arrives.
The Independent
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Pregnant Alabama woman's heartbreak as husband accused of being ‘ex-Iranian Army sniper' by ICE
An alleged ex-Iranian Army sniper, detained by ICE agents in Alabama, may now be forced to leave behind his pregnant wife as he faces deportation. Ribvar Karimi was among a group of 11 Iranian nationals who were arrested over the weekend and accused of being in the country illegally, the Department of Homeland Security said. The arrests came hours after President Donald Trump ordered a series of strikes against Iran. Karimi 'reportedly served as an Iranian Army sniper' between 2018 and 2021, the DHS said Tuesday. Upon his arrest Sunday, the man was accused of having in his possession an Islamic Republic of Iran Army identification card. He is currently being held in ICE custody, where the DHS said he will remain pending removal proceedings. Karimi allegedly entered the U.S. in October last year on a K-1 visa, which is issued to a foreign national who is a fiancé or fiancée of a U.S. citizen. The document requires a couple to marry within 90 days of entry. His wife, Morgan Karimi, said he came to the U.S. so the couple could get married. The DHS claims that Karimi 'never adjusted his status,' suggesting that the visa terms were broken because he either failed to apply for a green card or didn't marry within the required timeframe. The agency did not provide further information. Morgan Karimi, however, contests that she and Karimi did marry within the 90-day window and that her husband was mistakenly swept up in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The Blount County resident, who is 31 weeks pregnant, revealed she first met Karimi online in February 2019 while playing Call of Duty Mobile, according to a website dedicated to the couple's wedding. The couple was due to tie the knot on February 22 in Blountsville. 'He came to the U.S. LEGALLY on a K1 fiancé visa. We followed all the rules—got married within the 90-day window just like we were supposed to,' Morgan Karimi said of her husband in a Facebook plea. 'We've done everything by the book.' Morgan Karimi has asked for financial help from the local community to hire an immigration attorney 'to fight for his freedom and keep our family together.' In another Facebook post on Tuesday, Morgan shared a montage of photos of her husband sporting several items of clothes adorned with the star-spangled banner. One video appears to show Karimi running around, jubilantly, waving the American flag. 'There is no one who deserves to be here more than this man. He loves our country,' she wrote. Morgan said she has managed to make contact with her husband in ICE custody, who said he is worried both about her and their unborn child. Her Facebook page chronicles the couple's relationship and their efforts to attain a visa for Karimi. On April 18, Morgan shared a picture of an ultrasound scan of the couple's baby. On September 21 last year, she asked for recommendations on how the couple could make their wedding more affordable 'because the visa process hasn't been cheap.' Three days later, Morgan shared that Karimi's visa had 'FINALLY been approved,' adding: 'Let the wedding planning begin!' According to screenshots shared on her Facebook profile, Karimi's case was approved on January 3, 2023. His visa application was allegedly first received in September 2021, according to the social media post. In a photo from August 2022, Karimi was photographed wearing a t-shirt clearly labeled with a black and white American flag on its chest. In May 2021, Morgan Karimi updated her Facebook status to say that she was engaged. Following the near-dozen ICE arrests over the weekend, the DHS rallied behind their aggressive immigration raids, vying to get the 'worst of the worst out.' '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,' DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. 'We have been saying we are getting the worst of the worst out—and we are.'
The Herald Scotland
19 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
ICE arrested 11 Iranians in the U.S. as Middle East tensions flared
The arrests also come as some Americans fear violence in the U.S. amid the conflict with Iran. Mayors from New York City to Los Angeles have said that they are watching for any threats to public safety. Among the people arrested, officials said, were: Mehran Makari Saheli, a 56-year-old convicted of illegal firearm possession and former member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; Ribvar Karimi, a former Iranian army sniper who failed to adjust his immigration status; and Yousef Mehridehno, who was labeled by Homeland Security as a "suspected terrorist" who lied on a visa application. Karimi had an Islamic Republic of Iran Army identification card in his possession when he was arrested, federal officials said. "We have been saying we are getting the worst of the worst out--and we are," said Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. "We don't wait until a military operation to execute; we proactively deliver on President Trump's mandate to secure the homeland." The arrests happened all around the country. ICE Buffalo arrested on Monday a 65-year-old who was convicted of "criminal impersonation and practicing as an attorney," federal officials said. ICE San Francisco arrested on Sunday a 62-year-old who was previously sentenced to 10 years in prison for a drug conviction, according to officials. An Iranian American group slammed the apparent crackdown in light of the war, saying the White House had "weaponized" immigration authorities to go after political enemies. "We are deeply concerned that the Department of Homeland Security will respond to geopolitical tensions abroad with racial profiling and efforts to undermine the civil liberties of individuals of Iranian heritage in the United States," said Ryan Costello, policy director for the National Iranian American Council, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that advocates for improving American relations with Iran. "That is wrong and un-American. It's threats and legitimate intelligence that need to drive these kind of enforcement actions, not security theater." It's fairly rare for Iranians living in the U.S. to run afoul of immigration authorities, data shows. Of nearly 113,500 people arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities in fiscal year 2024, 68 were from Iran. 47 of the people arrested then had criminal convictions; the rest had immigration violations, according to federal data. The number of Iranians arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in recent days amounts to 16% of the total number of Iranian nationals arrested in all of fiscal year 2024, according to federal data.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Iranian army sniper among 'terrorists' caught living illegally in US as Trump warns of sleeper cells
Two suspected terrorists are among 11 Iranians in the US illegally arrested by ICE since Sunday, with ties to terror group Hezbollah and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Among them is Ribvar Karimi- who served as an Iranian Army sniper from 2018 to 2021. He was tracked down in rural Alabama. When ICE agents found in him in the town of Locust Fork Sunday, he had an Islamic Republic of Iran Army identification card, DHS claimed. Karimi entered the country legally on a K-1 visa, for foreigners engaged to be married to Americans, in October under the Biden administration. He married his bride, Morgan Gardener, in January this year. However, Karimi failed to adjust his status, making his presence in the US illegal. In Minnesota, agents nabbed Mehran Makari Saheli, 56, a former member of off the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps with admitted connections to Hezbollah, the agency alleged. He already had a conviction for felon in possession of a firearm and served 15 months in prison. Despite being ordered out of the country by a judge in June 28, 2022, he evaded authorities. Both men are now in ICE custody pending removal. Karimi's American wife insists he loves America and is a proud immigrant. 'This man loves America, the first purchase he made when he got here was an American Flag,' Morgan Gardner told a local station. 'If he was here on bad intentions, he wouldn't have done that, he wouldn't be willing to walk around with a flag, knowing he could get deported and sent back to a country where he could be killed for that.' She is seven months pregnant and fears she'll have to give birth alone. Their arrests come as it's been revealed at least 1,500 Iranians entered the US during the Biden years. The apprehensions have taken place since Sunday in sweeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation, amid growing warnings about potential terrorist 'sleeper cells' targeting the US. President Donald Trump warned there could be Iranian terrorist sleeper cells plotting against Americans. 'And among everything else, (Biden) let in a lot of super cells, many from Iran,' the Republican wrongly said, meaning sleeper cells. Over the weekend, Department of Homeland Security agents went 'full throttle,' arresting citizens of the Islamic republic as that country threatened to retaliate against the US following the bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran. 'Under Secretary (Kristi) 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,' DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a press release Tuesday. 'We have been saying we are getting the worst of the worst out—and we are.' At least half of them were allowed to stay in the US, despite citizens of Iran being considered special interest aliens due to the possibility of being security threats. Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand, who had been ordered to leave the US 12 years ago by an immigration judge, had also been convicted of threatening a law enforcement officer and being an alien in possession of a firearm. Eidivand entered through the southern border in June 2012, DHS said, and he was arrested in Tempe, Arizona Sunday. Armed with a 9mm pistol when ICE agents caught up to him, Behzad Sepehrian Bahary Nejad was arrested in Texas. After entering the US on a student visa in 2016, Sepehrian was arrested a year later in the Houston area for chocking a family member. His wife was able to get a retraining order against him after he threatened her and he family back in Iran. The University of Texas student was ordered out of the country in 2019. Another man with suspected ties to terror was taken into custody in Mississippi. Yousef Mehridehno had been stripped of his lawful permanent resident status in October 2017, and allowed to remain in the US during Trump's first term, after authorities learned he had lied on his application. Additional apprehensions were made Houston, Colorado, San Fransisco and San Diego. Aside from the 11 Iranian arrested, an American woman Linet Vartaniann was also arrested for threatening to shoot ICE agents in Arizona.
