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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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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, 26, 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.
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His 30-year-old 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."
In a statement to Newsweek, a spokesperson for DHS said Karimi "failed to change his status—a legal requirement—and is removable from the United States. President Trump and Secretary Noem are not going to ignore the rule of law."
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.
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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.
Update 6/25/25 3:15 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with a statement from DHS.
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