Concerns Regarding Illegal Immigrant Truck Drivers in the U.S.
A trucking company executive has raised alarms about what he describes as the “export” and “exploitation” of the U.S. trucking sector by foreign-owned companies that flout regulations. He suggests this trend might explain the rise in illegal immigrant drivers joining the industry.
The federal government is increasing efforts to tackle illegal immigrant truck drivers, especially following several deadly accidents nationwide. Recently, the Department of Homeland Security reported the arrest of 146 undocumented immigrant truck drivers in northwestern Indiana during an operation dubbed Midway Blitz.
Notably, in late October, an undocumented driver, Borko Stankovic, encountered police while driving on Route 20. His actions led to an accident that killed Jeffrey Eberly, 54, driving a Subaru. Stankovic, who has been in the U.S. since 2011 and whose visa has expired, attempted a risky left turn and collided with Eberly’s vehicle, resulting in a multi-vehicle crash.
Authorities discovered that Stankovic was driving with a suspended commercial driver’s license—one registered to a family member—and didn’t have permission to operate a truck. As a result, he is facing serious charges, including Felony Reckless Homicide.
Another tragic incident occurred on August 12 in Fort Pierce, Florida, where Harjinder Singh had a U-turn mishap with his semi-truck, leading to a collision that killed three people in a minivan. Singh, an illegal immigrant who crossed the U.S. border in 2018 and held a California-issued CDL, has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide.
Zach Meiborg, owner of Meiborg Brothers Trucking in Illinois, conveyed his worries about how some parts of the trucking industry have moved operations overseas, capitalizing on loopholes and hiring practices that take advantage of illegal workers.
“We’re seeing bureaucrats allowing crucial industries to shift to foreign ownership, especially in regions such as Eastern Europe, where regulations seem to be less strict,” he said. “These firms have identified multiple ways to expand their fleets while bending the rules, and sadly, this seems to be overlooked by regulators.”
Meiborg also pointed out that some companies shifted their operations online during the pandemic, recruiting untrained workers at much lower wages while ducking safety and tax regulations.
Amid these concerns, the Department of Transportation has initiated measures to improve oversight regarding how states issue commercial driver’s licenses, particularly for non-residents.
As Robert Khachatrian, CEO of Freight Right Global Logistics, highlighted, enforcing existing laws is key. He stressed that the focus shouldn’t be on changing laws regarding licenses for undocumented individuals but rather ensuring that the laws already in place are properly enforced.
