In Florida, a group including some DMV workers has been arrested for allegedly selling driver’s licenses for cash to undocumented immigrants.
State authorities detained two DMV employees from a facility in Bay County, located in the Florida Panhandle, accusing them of selling nearly 1,000 driver’s licenses in exchange for cash. Additionally, six other individuals were apprehended as part of this scheme.
“Florida sheriffs are leading the charge against illegal immigration, and Sheriff Ford is tackling the corruption associated with it,” said Attorney General James Usmier recently. “To those who come to Florida to commit further crimes: we will find you, hold you accountable, and return you to where you came from.”
The investigation began when two DMV workers noticed an unusually high number of administered road tests.
As noted by local reports:
Chuck Purdue, the tax collector for Bay County, first spotted signs of irregularities back in April. His office conducted 295 road tests in one month when the usual figure hovers around 20-25.
Upon delving deeper into the investigation, surveillance footage revealed numerous individuals seeking out the two employees involved.
Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford pointed out that the fraudulent licenses included Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs). “Let me clarify. Having untested, unqualified drivers—especially those with commercial licenses—on our roads poses an unacceptable risk to families throughout the state,” he remarked.
Reports indicate that non-citizens traveled from hundreds of miles away to obtain these unlawfully issued licenses.
American Truck Driver United shared insights about the arrests, noting, “Florida is among ten states targeting illegal foreign workers in the trucking sector.”
Investigators also uncovered that several individuals had been promoting the services of the two DMV employees, creating a network that connected them with undocumented immigrants across the state.
Those arrested include Banseri Belazuco, Demetrius Smith II, Nivis Rosales, Leonardo Gutierrez, Hang Du, Isbrieta Para, Zoila Gonzalez Pena, and Milna Fernandez. The charges range from issuing illegal driver’s licenses to official misconduct and illegal possession of a driver’s license.
The implications extend beyond Florida, with some of the fraudulent licenses being utilized in human trafficking operations across the country. For instance, Texas authorities recently apprehended a woman driving a commercial box truck loaded with undocumented immigrants.
However, many unqualified drivers end up working for American companies in the shipping and construction industries.
Sadly, there’s been a noticeable rise in traffic accidents and fatalities in the U.S. over recent years, attributed in part to companies employing untrained, unqualified, and often uneducated undocumented immigrants for driving roles.
“We’re trying to send a message that federal action is necessary,” stated Shannon Everett, co-founder of the American Truck Drivers. “Illegally operating foreign truckers are endangering American drivers and impacting truck driver incomes,” he added.
Many immigrants have entered the trucking industry after crossing the U.S. border or international airports amid President Biden’s more lenient immigration policies.
“Our primary concern is… illegal immigrants are obtaining licenses without any proper training or testing,” expressed Rhaman Dhillon, founder of the Punjab Truck Drivers Association in North America. “There’s no training, no language assessment. They still manage to get them.”
