Arpineh Masihi and her husband, Arthu Sahakyan, are the kind of family you notice right away in their quiet Diamond Bar, California neighborhood. A big “Keep America Great” Trump flag waves proudly outside their home, and their kids have MAGA hats of their own. They’ve never been shy about their support for Donald Trump. They backed him in the last election.
But that devotion didn’t stop U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from showing up at their front door.
Arpineh Masihi, now in her 40s, came to the United States as a refugee from Iran when she was just 3 years old. But about 15 years ago, she lost her green card because of a theft conviction, something her husband says she’s been trying to fix ever since. “She’s been dedicated to regaining her legal status,” Sahakyan told Fox 11 in an interview.
Iranian Husband Reaffirms Support for Trump and MAGA Movement After Wife Was Detained by ICE
Arpineh Masihi, an Iranian immigrant, was taken into federal custody due to immigration issues connected to a past conviction. Despite the personal toll, her husband, Arthu Sahakyan,… pic.twitter.com/M4z8IaR4uk
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) July 3, 2025
Until recently, her regular immigration check-ins seemed uneventful. But tensions changed dramatically after the U.S. got involved in Israel’s war against Iran and bombed three of the country’s nuclear sites on June 21. Not long after, Masihi was picked up along with more than 130 other Iranian nationals, federal sources told the outlet.
Despite the heartbreak, Sahakyan says he sees the bigger picture.
“I’m very for [the United States vetting] Iranian nationals because of the sleeper cells,” he explained. “I think it will resolve a lot of issues because we’ll know exactly who’s in here for what reasons, even though I miss [my wife] dearly.”
When it comes to his wife being detained, he’s trying not to take it personally.
“Trump is not trying to do anything bad. We understand what he’s doing,” he said. “He wants the best for the country. I’m just trying to make the best of it.”
ICE agents arrived at their home on June 30. Before leaving with them, Masihi said goodbye quickly, sharing a kiss with her kids before being taken away. “Came and kissed the kids,” Sahakyan said quietly. The family hasn’t seen her since.
While Sahakyan tries to stay hopeful, Masihi couldn’t hide her worry during a call with Fox 11.
“I’m on the list to be going to a different facility,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion.
BREAKING: In a shocking moment, Trump — who was convicted of 34 felonies — calls for the deportation of US citizens. “We also have a lot of bad people that have been here for a long time … many of them were born in our country.”
You first, Donald.pic.twitter.com/fjqTbvKlri
— Really American 🇺🇸 (@ReallyAmerican1) July 1, 2025
Sahakyan knows their experience isn’t something he’d wish on anyone else. Still, he insists he trusts Trump’s larger goals. And despite friends urging him to take the Trump flag down out of solidarity for his wife, Sahakyan refuses.
“I’m still supporting [Trump],” he said. “Even though my friends say, ‘Take the flag down, you’re going through a lot,’ I’m like, ‘No, the flag stands.'”
