
Alleged former Iranian Army sniper Ribvar Karimi was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Alabama on Sunday, leaving behind his pregnant wife.
“We arrested Ribvar Karimi for an immigration violation June 22. He reportedly served as an Iranian Army sniper from 2018 to 2021,” ICE stated in a social media post. The post added, “He had an Islamic Republic of Iran Army identification card in his possession when we arrested him!”
Karimi entered the United States in October 2024 on a K-1 fiancé visa, which requires foreign nationals engaged to a U.S. citizen to marry within 90 days of entry. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleges that Karimi failed to adjust his immigration status, suggesting he violated the visa terms by either not applying for a green card or failing to marry within the required timeframe.
The arrest is part of a broader ICE operation that detained 11 Iranian nationals in the U.S. over the weekend, many facing charges beyond civil immigration violations, including alleged links to Hezbollah, drug offenses, and child abuse.
Karimi is currently in ICE custody in Blount County, Alabama. Karimi’s wife, Morgan Karimi, disputes DHS’s claims.
“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 wrote in a Facebook post. “We’ve done everything by the book.”
Morgan said Ribvar disclosed his military service in Iran on his visa application, as required, and emphasized his loyalty to the U.S., noting that his first purchase upon arriving was an American flag.
According to their wedding website, Morgan and Ribvar met online through the video game Call of Duty in 2020. They married in February 2025.
Morgan clarified that there is no deadline for completing the K-1 visa adjustment forms, only for marrying within 90 days. She attributed the delay in filing to her pregnancy, which has been complicated by fluid detected in the baby’s lungs and heart. She said they were prepared to submit the forms when ICE informed them of Ribvar’s detention, which he did not resist.
“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,” Morgan said.
Morgan, who did not vote in the 2024 election, told Newsweek that her family has historically supported Trump. She said they “believed in [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,” she said.
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Author: JBaron
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