An Alabama woman says her family is reeling after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained her husband—an Iranian immigrant—as part of a recent roundup of Iranian nationals, despite their prior support for former President Donald Trump and his hardline immigration policies.
“We believed in his immigration policies and were completely blindsided,” Morgan Gardner told Newsweek. “We truly believed that only criminals were being detained.”
Her husband, Ribvar Karimi, was one of 11 Iranian nationals arrested by ICE on Sunday. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the operation as part of its ongoing effort to keep “known and suspected terrorists” out of American communities. According to DHS, Karimi previously served as a sniper in the Iranian military from 2018 to 2021—though military service is compulsory for all Iranian men between 18 and 49, and evading service can result in imprisonment and loss of civil rights.
“We’re getting the worst of the worst out—and we are,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement. “We proactively deliver on President Trump’s mandate to secure the homeland.”
Karimi’s wife disputes that characterization. In an interview with CBS affiliate WIAT, Gardner said her husband never fought American forces and was once captured while fighting ISIS. “He actually fought against terrorism,” she emphasized.
The couple met online playing Call of Duty: Mobile, and eventually married. According to their wedding website and a GoFundMe page launched by Gardner’s cousin, they spent years navigating the immigration process while meeting in Turkey, and Karimi became a beloved figure in Gardner’s rural Alabama community—helping care for her ailing father and supporting her during a difficult pregnancy.
Karimi legally entered the U.S. in October 2024 on a K-1 fiancé visa but failed to adjust his status to permanent resident, a required step to remain in the country. Gardner explained that they delayed the green card process due to pregnancy complications, assuming they still had time and protection as a married couple.
“My lawyer said past administrations would not have taken him,” Gardner said. “We thought he’d be safe since he’s married to a U.S. citizen.”
Now seven months pregnant, Gardner is preparing to attend her baby shower alone. “My heart is broken,” she said. “He won’t be here for it.”
Gardner’s fears extend beyond separation. She worries that if her husband is deported back to Iran, his public support for the U.S. and his criticism of the Iranian regime could put his life at risk.
Despite their past support for Trump, Gardner said the experience has caused her and her family to rethink everything.
“My husband believed Trump was trying to protect Americans and prayed he’d help free the Iranian people,” she told Newsweek. “Now, we all feel like fools. We regret everything. I didn’t vote in the last election, but my family supported him—and now we feel betrayed.”
She added, “At this point, I believe there are bad people on both sides. I just want my husband home before our baby arrives.”
