Fox News: US Detains 130 Iranians Amid Fears of Retaliation Following Strikes on Iran

By Staff, Agencies

US immigration authorities have arrested 130 Iranian nationals over the past week, amid rising fears in Washington of potential retaliatory strikes on American soil following the latest escalation with the Islamic Republic, according to a Fox News report.

The arrests were carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] just days after the US joined the “Israeli” military campaign by launching strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities. In response, Tehran fired a barrage of missiles at a US base in Qatar, shortly before a ceasefire agreement was announced.

Citing concerns over possible sleeper cells, the Department of Homeland Security [DHS] issued a bulletin warning of a “heightened threat environment” inside the US. ICE sources told Fox News that some of those arrested had prior criminal records, and at least one individual had previously served in Iran’s armed forces.

That former serviceman, Ribvar Karimi, entered the US last year on a fiancé visa, married his American partner, but failed to update his immigration status. He was arrested in Alabama the day after the US airstrikes on Iran.

ICE Director Tom Homan stressed that Trump’s strict immigration stance was now more vital than ever, saying during a podcast appearance on Pod Force One that the previous Biden administration had left the country vulnerable. “This is the biggest national security risk I’ve ever seen,” Homan claimed.

Meanwhile, the US Supreme Court ruled earlier this week in favor of Trump-era policy allowing for the deportation of migrants to third countries, despite earlier legal opposition. As tensions remain high, Iranian nationals in the US now face increased scrutiny amid the wider geopolitical fallout.