Highways Safer as Oklahoma Troopers, ICE Arrest 91 Illegal Alien Commercial Truckers

A joint traffic enforcement blitz along I-40 in western Oklahoma led to the arrest of 120 immigration violators—91 of whom were operating commercial vehicles. The arrests underscore the public safety risks posed by unlicensed or unauthorized drivers on America’s highways. The three-day operation, conducted by ICE and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, targeted criminal activity and threats to roadway safety through intensified patrols and records checks.

In three days in late September, Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troopers and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers made approximately 520 contacts. During the contact stops, ERO officers conducted records checks and arrested 120 illegal aliens. Of these, 91 non-domiciled drivers were operating commercial vehicles, according to information obtained from ICE by Breitbart Texas.

Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the results of a rigorous investigation into the impact of non-domiciled drivers. The secretary identified these foreign truck drivers who are not proficient in English as a significant safety threat to the American public, according to a post on X by American Truckers United.

On Tuesday, after the release of this Department of Transportation report, the head of the Oklahoma Trucking Association resigned at the end of a special board meeting that apparently discussed the ICE/Highway Patrol operation.

American Truckers United said there is a “developing scandal” involving the American Truckers Association.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers teamed up with ICE officers under the federal 287(g) program, ICE officials stated. ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan stated:

ICE’s 287(g) program clearly demonstrates how federal and local law enforcement agencies can work together to make America safe again. Illegal aliens have no business operating 18 wheelers on America’s highways. Our roads are now safer with these illegal aliens no longer behind the wheel. We encourage more state and local law enforcement to sign 287(g) agreements to help remove public safety threats and receive reimbursement funds available to our law enforcement partners.

The 120 illegal aliens arrested in the three-day operation included those with criminal convictions for:

• Multiple DUI (some individuals have 2 or more)
• Illegal reentry into the US
• Money laundering
• Human smuggling
• Assault
• Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
• Possession of controlled dangerous substance

Of the 91 commercial drivers arrested, 80 had illegally entered the United States, had pending asylum claims, or an immigration hearing, ICE officials reported. The drivers included foreign nationals from:

• Belarus – 1
• China – 12
• Georgia – 6
• India – 39
• Kazakhstan – 1
• Kyrgyzstan – 2
• Mauritania- 1
• Montenegro – 1
• Pakistan – 2
• Russia – 4
• Tajikistan – 3
• Türkiye – 3
• Ukraine – 2
• Uzbekistan – 13
• Venezuela – 1

ICE officials reported the following states as being responsible for issuing CDLs to aliens:

Secretary Duffy said in his report announcement:

What our team has discovered should disturb and anger every American. Licenses to operate a massive, 80,000-pound truck are being issued to dangerous foreign drivers – often times illegally. This is a direct threat to the safety of every family on the road, and I won’t stand for it. Today’s actions will prevent unsafe foreign drivers from renewing their license and hold states accountable to immediately invalidate improperly issued licenses.

The secretary said California officials displayed “reckless disregard” in issuing CDLs without proper screening.

California must get its act together immediately or I will not hesitate to pull millions in funding. To every other state around the country – find all improperly issued CDLs and revoke their licenses now. We owe it to the American people to ensure only lawful, qualified drivers are operating big rigs on our highways.

He gave the state 30 days to come into compliance, or the federal government will begin withholding highway funds. California would lose approximately $160 million during the first year. The penalty would double in year two.