US ICE detains hundreds of Iranian nationals amid 2025 Iran war

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained more than 500 Iranian nationals in the United States during the June‑July 2025 war that pitted the United States and Israel against Iran. Government data obtained by the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) through a FOIA request shows a sharp surge of arrests – 220 in June and 80 in July 2025 – with 577 Iranians held in ICE facilities by 21 December 2025. Detainees ranged from a five‑year‑old child to a 77‑year‑old adult, many being held at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, as well as at Otay Mesa and Adelanto detention centers in California.

NIAC says many arrests were made with “little to no legal basis” and suggests a directive to discriminate against Iranian nationals. The crackdown coincided with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan nuclear sites. During the same period, several Iranian legal permanent residents had their green cards revoked, and 45 Iranians were deported on 30 September 2025 under a deal with the Iranian government. Advocacy groups have highlighted cases such as the death of a 59‑year‑old Iranian detainee, Pejman Karshenas Najafabadi, and the detention of a PhD student, Yousof Azizi, raising concerns about due process and conditions in ICE facilities.