The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported the arrest of 91 undocumented immigrants operating semi-trucks with fake licenses in Oklahoma, as authorities ramp up efforts against illegal immigrant truck drivers.
A three-day operation along I-40 led to the arrests, made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Besides the 91 drivers, an additional 29 undocumented individuals were detained, according to a DHS statement released on October 6.
Those arrested faced various criminal charges, including DUI offenses, illegal re-entry into the United States, money laundering, human smuggling, assault, conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and possession of controlled substances.
“ICE’s 287(g) program illustrates the effective cooperation between federal and local law enforcement to enhance public safety in America,” stated ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan. “Undocumented individuals should not be driving large trucks on our highways. The safety of our roads is improved with these individuals off the road. We encourage more local law enforcement to participate in the 287(g) agreement to mitigate public safety risks and access available funds for law enforcement partners.”
This recent crackdown follows an incident in Florida where an undocumented truck driver caused the deaths of three Americans during an unsafe U-turn on a highway. The driver, Harjinder Singh, an undocumented immigrant from India who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018, was arrested and charged in connection to the fatalities.
Singh managed to obtain state-issued commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) from both California and Washington despite his ineligibility as an undocumented immigrant.
With an increase in immigrants on the roads—many of whom may not be able to communicate in English—traffic fatalities have reportedly surged.
The Trump administration has reacted to this troubling trend. Sean Duffy, Trump’s Secretary of Transportation, directed the Federal Office of Highway Safety to enforce a law that mandates foreign drivers to read English.
This direction followed a campaign by thousands of American truck drivers urging the federal government to eliminate illegal immigrant truck drivers.
American truck drivers have been sharing their experiences of rising accidents involving illegal drivers on social media for quite some time now.
As these incidents accumulate, stories like that of Father Marcus Coleman arise. His daughter, Dalila, now permanently disabled due to an accident involving an undocumented truck driver, has prompted him to speak out.
“My daughter’s life was changed forever due to injuries inflicted in accidents caused by undocumented truck drivers,” Coleman shared. “I support ICE’s collaboration with Highway Patrols nationwide to secure our roads against criminal elements. Undocumented individuals should not be driving large trucks here.”
A whole sector that trains immigrant truck drivers and supposedly takes jobs from Americans has thrived in the U.S. for years. Recently, it was reported that a group, the Chinese American Truck Drivers Organization USA, operates to train Chinese citizens to become commercial drivers in the U.S.
Companies connected to China also pose national security concerns, especially given China’s antagonistic stance towards the U.S., raising fears about employing Chinese nationals in our transport networks.
“An extensive network linked to the Chinese Communist Party heightens national security risks by training and deploying undocumented workers on critical transportation routes,” someone noted. “What assurance do we have that this network cannot be exploited during a crisis involving the CCP?”
