Pennsylvania Governor Responds to Backlash Over Arrest of Immigrant

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has addressed criticism following the arrest of an Uzbek immigrant, Akhror Bozorov, by federal authorities. Bozorov, who has been accused of having ties to terrorism, was found driving a big rig in Kansas with a Pennsylvania commercial driver’s license (CDL).

It turns out that Bozorov held a CDL linked to an address in Somerton, Philadelphia, and was wanted in Tashkent for various charges. Governor Shapiro noted that, as of Wednesday, Bozorov’s information remained in the federal database that PennDOT uses to validate non-citizen licenses. Some critics had raised concerns that he might even be able to register to vote.

A letter directed to House and Senate leaders from officials, including Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll and Commonwealth Secretary Al Schmitt, refuted what they described as “false statements and inaccurate assumptions.” They particularly addressed claims suggesting that undocumented immigrants could acquire state driver’s licenses under Shapiro’s administration.

Carroll and Schmitt emphasized that all noncitizens must provide identification and have their legal status confirmed through the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database before obtaining a driver’s license. They asserted that Pennsylvania followed proper protocols in confirming Bozorov’s eligibility.

Carroll further stated that PennDOT had consulted with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about the situation on Tuesday and reported no problems in the database since Bozorov received his license in July. The department’s letter also noted that legally licensed noncitizens would carry “special markings,” preventing them from using the “motor voter” registration process.

Despite the scrutiny, Shapiro insisted that a check with the federal database earlier confirmed Bozorov was lawfully authorized to hold a CDL. In a somewhat ironic twist, he mentioned that Bozorov still appeared eligible for the license as of recently.

Shapiro criticized DHS, arguing that it doesn’t seem to prioritize the matter adequately, as states depend on their database for CDL eligibility decisions. On the contrary, a DHS spokesperson countered Shapiro’s claims, stating that federal work authorization does not equate to legal status in the U.S., and pointed out that the restrictions originated during the prior administration.

The spokesperson made it clear that just because work authorization was granted doesn’t justify allowing a wanted individual like Bozorov to drive a commercial vehicle on U.S. roads.