Fact Check: "Kashanian's detention coincided with U.S. military actions in Iran."
What We Know
Mandonna "Donna" Kashanian, a 64-year-old Iranian woman who has lived in the United States for 47 years, was detained by ICE agents while gardening outside her home in New Orleans on June 24, 2025. Her detention occurred just hours after U.S. military forces conducted airstrikes in Iran, which were part of escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, a U.S. ally (NOLA, The Guardian). Kashanian had been living in the U.S. under a stay of removal agreement, which allowed her to remain in the country as long as she complied with immigration check-ins, a requirement she reportedly met without fail (NOLA, Newsweek).
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that multiple arrests of Iranian nationals occurred around the same time, with a statement highlighting the arrests of 11 Iranians nationwide over the weekend (DHS, The Guardian). This pattern of enforcement coincided with heightened military actions in the region, raising concerns among Kashanian's family and advocates regarding the motivations behind her detention (NOLA, The Guardian).
Analysis
The claim that Kashanian's detention coincided with U.S. military actions in Iran is substantiated by the timing of her arrest and the military operations. Reports indicate that her detention occurred mere hours after U.S. airstrikes targeted locations in Iran, which aligns with the broader context of increased enforcement actions against Iranian nationals in the U.S. following military escalations (NOLA, The Guardian).
The sources reporting on this incident are credible, with major news outlets like NOLA and The Guardian providing detailed accounts of the events surrounding Kashanian's detention. Additionally, the DHS's acknowledgment of the arrests of multiple Iranian nationals lends further credibility to the assertion that her detention was part of a larger pattern of enforcement actions against individuals from Iran during a period of military conflict (DHS, Newsweek).
While some may argue that the timing of her detention is coincidental, the context of increased military actions and the subsequent arrests of Iranians in the U.S. suggests a possible connection. The actions taken by ICE under the Trump administration have been characterized as aggressive, particularly towards individuals who had previously been granted reprieves from deportation (NOLA, Newsweek).
Conclusion
The claim that "Kashanian's detention coincided with U.S. military actions in Iran" is True. The evidence clearly indicates that her arrest took place shortly after U.S. airstrikes in Iran, amidst a broader context of heightened enforcement actions against Iranian nationals. The timing and circumstances surrounding her detention support the assertion that it was not merely coincidental but rather part of a larger pattern influenced by geopolitical events.
Sources
- ICE Arrests 11 Iranian Nationals Illegally in the U.S. Over ...
- The Iranian Hostage Crisis - Short History
- ICE detains Iranian woman in New Orleans for 47 years
- After decades in the US, Iranians arrested in Trump's ...
- Iranian woman, who has lived in US for 47 years, taken by ...
- Iranian Woman Who Has Lived in US for Four Decades ...
- After decades in the US, Iranians arrested in Trump's ...
- Family says ICE detained Iranian woman who's lived in US ...
