US sends three former IRGC members back to Iran after illegal entry

U.S. authorities have deported three former members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who entered the country illegally in 2024, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said.

Ehsan Khaledi, Mohammad Mehrani, and Morteza Nasirikakolaki were returned to Iran over the past weekend. “Foreign terrorist organisers are NOT welcome in our country,” ICE wrote on X.

In his first week back in office, President Donald Trump signed 10 executive orders on immigration, targeting mass deportations, border security, and refugee admissions.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported a sharp rise in arrests, averaging 710 per day, surpassing previous highs under Obama and Biden.

Arrests now include anyone in the country illegally, not just those with criminal records, and operations involve multiple federal agencies, including the FBI and Border Patrol.

Deportations have begun, including military flights to Guatemala, though total numbers remain unclear. The administration expanded “expedited removal” authority and ended policies protecting migrants at sensitive locations.

At the border, Trump halted entry programs like CBP One and parole-based permits for tens of thousands, reinstating “Remain in Mexico” for asylum seekers. The Pentagon deployed 1,500 troops, potentially supporting detention and transport under wartime powers.

By Aghakazim Guliyev