LOCUST FORK, Ala. (Diya TV) — U.S. immigration agents arrested an Iranian Army sniper in Alabama last weekend. Now, his pregnant wife is fighting to keep him in the United States.


On Sunday, June 22, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took Ribvar Karimi, 33, into custody at his home in Locust Fork. Karimi served as a sniper in the Iranian Army from 2018 to 2021. However, he never fought against U.S. forces or their allies. Instead, he fought ISIS and survived a harrowing captivity, according to his wife.

Karimi was one of 11 Iranian nationals arrested across the U.S. last weekend. Federal agents said Karimi failed to adjust his immigration status after entering the country. As a result, they placed him in removal proceedings at the Etowah County Correctional Facility.

Morgan Karimi, who grew up in Alabama, told reporters that her husband fought terrorists, not America. “He fought ISIS and was even captured once,” she said. “That’s very different from what people assume.” Moreover, she stressed that Karimi carefully avoided joining the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which the U.S. considers a terrorist group.

“There are two main branches of Iran’s military,” Morgan explained. “One is the regular army, and one is the IRGC. Ribvar chose the army because the IRGC is designated as a terrorist group. That was important to him.” Furthermore, an advocate from the National Iranian American Council supported her statements. “If Karimi had served in the IRGC,” policy associate Ariana Amini said, “he never would have been granted a fiancé visa.”


Karimi first met Morgan online in 2019. They built a long-distance relationship that led to his legal arrival in the U.S. on a K-1 fiancé visa in October 2024. Under this visa, Karimi had 90 days to marry Morgan after entering the country. The couple followed all of the requirements, and they officially married in January 2025.

Nevertheless, ICE claims Karimi failed to complete his green card process after the wedding. This step is critical for people who enter the U.S. on a fiancé visa. Morgan insists they started the process but did not finish it before ICE agents arrived at their home.

Morgan is 31 weeks pregnant with their first child. Moreover, she is terrified that her husband will be deported before their baby arrives. On Facebook, she shared photos of him wrapped in the American flag. “There is nobody who loves this country more than my husband,” she wrote. “He loves America’s values and believes in its promise.”

Additionally, she described the moment ICE agents knocked on their door. “They asked him for proof of his service,” she said. “We gave them his Iranian Army ID because we thought they already had that on file.” Morgan also noted that Karimi had provided all of this information during the visa process.


Karimi’s arrest is part of a larger ICE operation that targeted 11 Iranians across the U.S. In recent months, DHS officials have ramped up enforcement against people they call suspected extremists. Furthermore, leaders at DHS say they want to remove people who may pose a national security threat.

“ICE is working hard to protect this country,” a DHS spokesperson said Tuesday. “We will find and remove individuals who pose any risk.” However, Morgan disagrees with labeling her husband as a threat. “He came here for a better life,” she said. “He never planned to do anything wrong.”

Karimi remains in ICE custody at the Etowah County jail. Meanwhile, his wife continues to plead for his release. Morgan created an online fundraiser to pay for an immigration attorney. In addition, she posted updates about her pregnancy and Karimi’s detention. Supporters from across the country have already donated.

As the legal process unfolds, Karimi faces a hearing before an immigration judge. That judge will decide whether to deport him. Meanwhile, Morgan prepares for the birth of their child without knowing if her husband will be there. “I just want him home,” she said. “We followed all the rules. That should matter.”


Neighbors in Locust Fork have rallied around the Karimis. Several local churches have held prayer circles for the couple. Plus, Morgan has thanked the community for its compassion. “I never thought we would face this,” she wrote in one post. “But we believe in America’s fairness. That gives me hope.”

In the coming weeks, immigration lawyers will review the couple’s paperwork. Supporters hope the judge will let Karimi stay. Until then, Morgan and their unborn child wait for his return.