Revolutionary Guard member, ex-Iranian army sniper and terror suspect arrested in sweep of Iranian illegal migrants in the US

Over the weekend, U.S. immigration officers arrested 11 Iranians who were in the country illegally. Some of them had criminal records, and at least three of them are believed to have serious ties to terrorism or foreign militaries. Authorities are warning that these arrests might point to a larger threat, including the risk of hidden terrorist operatives — often called “sleeper cells” already inside the U.S.

One of the arrested individuals is Mehran Makari Sahel, a 56-year-old man from Iran. He used to be part of Iran’s powerful military group, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and has admitted having connections to Hezbollah, a terrorist group backed by Iran. He had already been convicted in the U.S. for illegally having a firearm and sentenced to over a year in prison in Minnesota. Although he was ordered to leave the country in 2022, he never did and remained here illegally.

Another person taken into custody was Yousef Mehridehno, who was arrested in Mississippi. He’s listed on the U.S. terrorist watchlist. Officials discovered he lied on his visa application, had been living in the U.S. illegally for eight years, and may have committed marriage fraud.

ICE agents also arrested Ribvar Karmi in Alabama. He was found with an Iranian military ID showing he worked as a sniper for Iran’s army from 2018 to 2021. He came to the U.S. last year using a fiancé visa, but never completed the steps required to stay legally, so he became undocumented.

In total, five of the 11 Iranians arrested had past convictions, including for serious crimes like theft, drug offenses, and illegally owning guns.

The Department of Homeland Security said these arrests are part of ongoing efforts to find and remove people who could pose threats to national security. The agency emphasized that it’s not waiting for a crisis to act — it’s taking preemptive action to keep the country safe.

The concern about Iranian sleeper cells grew stronger after U.S. airstrikes hit nuclear-related sites in Iran recently. In response, border patrol officers were told to be on high alert for the possibility that individuals connected to Iranian terrorism might try to enter or already be in the country.

Iranian nationals are already considered high-risk when they enter the U.S. because of their government’s hostile stance toward America. Despite this, reports show that under the Biden administration, more than 700 Iranians who crossed the border illegally were released into the country.

In a memo, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott reminded border agents that Iran has a clear interest in harming the United States. He stressed that while there are no known active threats at this time, the risk from sleeper cells or individuals acting in support of Iran is now higher than ever. He urged officers to stay extremely alert both on and off duty.