HOUSTON – The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 11 undocumented Iranian nationals, including two arrests in Houston, over the weekend, announced U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The arrests were in direct response to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s commitment to “keeping known and suspected terrorists out of American communities.”
Those arrested included an individual with admitted ties to Hezbollah, a known or suspected terrorist, and an alleged former sniper for the Iranian army, according to DHS.
Houston arrests
In Houston, ICE arrested Hamid Reza Bayat, an Iranian national an immigration judge ordered removed nearly 20 years ago, on Aug. 4, 2005.
Twice convicted of drug crimes and once convicted of driving on a suspended license, Bayat served time before receiving his final order of removal. He’s now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
On June 22, ICE Houston officials arrested Behzad Sepehrian Bahary Nejad, an undocumented immigrant with a final order of removal, who was carrying a loaded 9mm pistol at the time of his arrest, according to DHS.
Behzad Sepehrian Bahary Nejad
Sepehrian reportedly entered the U.S. in Houston on Dec. 9, 2016, on an F-1 student visa. On Aug. 19, 2017, law enforcement in Harris County arrested him for assaulting a family member by impeding breathing; his wife told the local assistant district attorney that Sepehrian was threatening her and obtained a restraining order against him. She also alleged he was threatening her family in Iran.
On July 23, 2018, the University of Texas terminated Sepehrian’s status after he was placed on academic suspension.
An immigration judge ordered him removed on Oct. 10, 2019, after he was released on an immigration bond; he filed a motion to reopen his case, which a Department of Justice immigration judge denied. Sepehrian is in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
1 comment:
Probably at Academy for the ammo sale.
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