Man Married to US Citizen Detained by ICE After Delaying Green-Card Process

An Alabama woman who married an Iranian man she met online is asking for financial help after he was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) even though he had a visa, she said.

Why It Matters

The Trump administration’s push for mass immigration reform has resulted in more than 100,000 deportations, according to federal officials. Tension in cases, like the couple in Alabama, are exacerbated as a result of the United States’ military action in Iran.

What To Know

Morgan Karimi (Gardner) of Locust Fork, Alabama, about 45 minutes outside Birmingham, said in a Facebook post that her husband, Ribvar Karimi, was detained by ICE on Sunday morning.

She said Monday that they “are devastated, confused and overwhelmed” and that she’s “trying to do everything I can to get him home.”

“[Ribvar] came to the U.S. LEGALLY on a K1 fiancé visa,” Gardner wrote. “We followed all the rules—got married within the 90-day window just like we were supposed to. We’ve done everything by the book. And yet, he was still detained. They even said they see he has no criminal background. I am currently 31 weeks pregnant.

“Now, we’re forced to hire an immigration attorney to fight for his freedom and keep our family together. It’s incredibly expensive, and while it’s deeply embarrassing to ask for help, we have no choice but to turn to our community.”

Newsweek reached out to Gardner via social media for additional comments.

Ribvar applied for the K1 visa in August 2023. It was processed within 15 months following a six-month interview process and background check, Gardner told local CBS affiliate WIAT.

The visa, which according to federal immigration laws allows immigrants to enter the U.S. with the intent of marrying a U.S. citizen, was approved in 2024. Karimi came to the U.S. in October of last year and married Gardner three months later. The pair met virtually in 2020 while gaming online.

ICE agents reportedly told Gardner that her husband was arrested because they did not file for an adjustment of status. The couple was unaware that further action was required after the K1 visa was approved, notably as they were married within the designated 90-day window required by law.

After being admitted to the United States as a K-1 nonimmigrant and marrying the U.S. citizen petitioner—Gardner in this case—within 90 days, Karimi could have applied for lawful permanent resident status and gotten a green card, according to U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The pair held off on applying for permanent citizenship because of issues with Gardner’s pregnancy. Soon after she found out she was carrying a child, the couple found out their baby had fluid around his heart, lungs and scalp.

She’s now seven months pregnant and worried about giving birth alone—or being without her husband for the long haul.

“I understand that they’ve got a job to do, immigration, but I just feel like he was specifically targeted because of what’s going on where he’s from, his home country,” Gardner told WIAT.

“My attorney said that in previous administrations something like this wouldn’t happen, that he should be protected because he is married to a U.S. citizen. You can file for your green card 15 years later and they’re not going to come get you.”

In the days leading up to Karimi’s detainment, Gardner posted multiple times on Facebook requesting thoughts and prayers for her husband’s family in Iran because of escalating warfare.

“It’s terrifying not knowing if your loved ones are safe—just waiting and hoping for a message, a call, any sign,” she wrote on June 20. “Please keep them and the people of Iran in your prayers. They deserve freedom, peace, and the ability to live without fear.”

Because of the cost of obtaining legal counsel, she also encouraged anyone willing to help financially to donate through apps like Venmo and CashApp.

What People Are Saying

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, in a press release: “Under Secretary 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

Gardner, whose baby shower is next weekend, told her husband via phone that he was being transferred to Louisiana. The call was cut off by officials after five minutes, she said.