JokersUpdates.com: Current Affairs - Tennessee congressman calls Trump-supporting Alabama ICE detainee a ‘terrorist’ despite lack of evidence

By Heather Gann | hgann@al.com
During a visit to Belmont University on Monday, U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., told students that an Iranian man detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Alabama was a “known terrorist,” despite court records showing a lack of evidence.

“I’m not talking about a cousin of a cousin of a friend; I’m talking about someone who is in their army, who was trained by Hezbollah, who is an actual terrorist,” Ogles said in a video posted to X by The Tennessee Holler.

Ogles went on to say Ribvar Karimi was in the country “for the purpose of committing genocide.”

Karimi was released in December after a judge terminated his court proceedings, ending his 5-month confinement in a Louisiana detention center that caused him to miss his child’s birth.

His attorney Michael Shabani said an initial immigration judge in Jena, Louisiana, granted Karimi’s adjustment of status, or green card, in November.

But Karimi remained in detention because the Department of Homeland Security, which argued the case for his deportation, filed a motion to reopen the matter — a motion that was ultimately denied.

DHS argued for Karimi’s deportation based on his military service in Iran, but Shabani said the agency never provided evidence that he was a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The IRGC was classified as terrorist organization by the U.S. in 2019.

His wife has said military service was mandatory for Ribvar to obtain a passport to leave Iran.

DHS then filed a notice to appear, which was taken up by a Colorado judge.

During these second proceedings Karimi was given a $15,000 bond and was eventually released on Nov. 26.

Neither judge was convinced by the government’s arguments for deporting Karimi.

Karimi was initially detained in Locust Fork on June 22 after allegedly failing to adjust his immigration status following his arrival in the country on a K-1 visa to marry his wife, Morgan.

https://www.al.com/news/2026/04/tennessee-congressman-calls-trump-supporting-alabama-ice-detainee-a-terrorist-despite-lack-of-evidence.html