California MAGA Mom Detained by ICE — Husband Keeps Trump Flag Flying in Defiance
Shocking Immigration Raid Targets Longtime U.S. Resident and Trump Supporter
In a stunning turn of events, a pro-Trump family in California is reeling after immigration agents detained Arpineh Masihi, a mother of two and outspoken supporter of former President Donald Trump.
The arrest occurred on June 30 in the quiet suburban neighborhood of Diamond Bar. Masihi, an Iranian-born woman who has called the U.S. home since she was just three years old, was taken into ICE custody during what her husband described as a traumatic early morning raid.
Despite the family’s deep ties to the MAGA movement—including a massive “Keep America Great” flag draped across their home—federal agents arrived without warning. Masihi embraced her children one last time before being escorted away. She hasn’t been seen since.
“We Wear the Hats, We Fly the Flag”
Her husband, Arthu Sahakyan, spoke exclusively to Fox 11 following the raid. “We supported Trump in the last election. We gave our kids MAGA hats. We wave the flag,” he said, gesturing toward the bright banner still fluttering outside their home. “And yet this still happened.”
Masihi’s immigration battle stretches back nearly two decades. She lost her green card approximately 15 years ago due to a theft-related conviction, but has reportedly complied with every check-in and worked to regain her legal status ever since.
From Refugee to Deportation Target
Masihi fled Iran with her family as a toddler, escaping political and religious persecution. Now in her 40s, she faces the threat of removal from the only country she truly knows. Her case has ignited outrage and confusion among fellow Trump supporters and immigration advocates alike.
Sahakyan has refused to take down the Trump flag—an act he says is both a protest and a plea. “We believed in the promise to protect American families,” he said. “Now my wife is gone, and my kids are asking why.”
U.S.–Iran Tensions Ignite ICE Crackdown — MAGA Family Caught in the Crossfire
“The Flag Stays,” Says Husband of Detained Trump Supporter
The world changed on June 21, when U.S. airstrikes targeted three Iranian nuclear sites, escalating tensions with Tehran to a boiling point. Within days, the effects rippled home. Among over 130 Iranian nationals detained in a nationwide sweep was Arpineh Masihi — a California mother and devoted Trump supporter.
Now separated from her children and facing possible deportation, Masihi is one of many caught in a sweeping federal response fueled by national security concerns. Yet even as his family is torn apart, her husband, Arthu Sahakyan, remains resolute in his support of the U.S. government.
“I Miss Her Dearly… But I Support Vetting”
Speaking to Fox 11, Sahakyan admitted the personal toll is immense. But he believes strong measures are necessary in uncertain times.
“I support vetting Iranian nationals because of sleeper cells,” he said. “It could solve a lot of problems… even though I miss her dearly.”
Masihi, meanwhile, is being transferred to another detention facility. During a brief, tearful call with Fox 11, she said only, “I’m on the list to be going to a different facility.” Her future remains unclear.
Faith Over Fear
Despite friends urging him to lower the Trump flag hanging from his home, Sahakyan refuses to budge.
“Even though my friends say, ‘Take the flag down, you’re going through a lot,’ I’m like, ‘No, the flag stands,’” he said.
Through heartbreak and uncertainty, the family clings to faith in the system — and in the man they believe still represents the best hope for America.
“He’s not doing anything bad,” Sahakyan told PEOPLE. “He wants the best for the country. I’m just trying to make the best of it.”