Category: Kevin stitt
Texas and Trump team take down over 30 illegal alien truck drivers in 1 day — California licenses BUSTED
With increased national focus on the trucking industry, federal and state authorities are stepping up efforts to crack down on illegal truck drivers to address concerns about road safety and national security.
A one-day operation last week in Texas led to the apprehension of 31 illegal alien truck drivers, according to Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s office.
‘When illegal immigrants break the law and illegally drive on our roads, they endanger the lives of countless Texans and Americans.’
The joint commercial vehicle enforcement operation on November 11 in Wheeler County along I-40 involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Texas Department of Public Safety, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the governor’s office reported on Wednesday.
Law enforcement officers inspected 105 vehicles as part of an effort to identify suspicious commercial driver’s licenses. DPS troopers referred 31 drivers to ICE after they were unable to verify their lawful presence in the U.S., despite presenting CDLs.
“It was determined that all 31 individuals were in the country illegally,” the governor’s office reported, noting that most of the licenses were issued by California, with none issued in Texas.
“Millions of Texans drive on our highways, roads, and streets every day,” Abbott stated. “When illegal immigrants break the law and illegally drive on our roads, they endanger the lives of countless Texans and Americans.”
Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images
“This joint state and federal operation along one of the nation’s longest transcontinental highways removed illegal drivers and unsafe vehicles from Texas roads,” Abbott continued. “While liberal states like California issue licenses to illegal immigrants and risk the lives of Americans, Texas will work with our federal partners to maintain safe roads and apprehend illegal immigrants to protect our communities.”
Meanwhile, in Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has similarly launched efforts to remove illegal immigrant truckers from the roads.
RELATED: Oklahoma ICE sting busts 34 illegal alien truck drivers, others with rap sheets
Photo by George Rose/Getty Images
He provided an update in early November about Operation Guardian, which has also conducted enforcement along the I-40 corridor, noting that it has already resulted in the arrest of over 100 illegal alien truck drivers.
“For the second time in just the past month, the state of Oklahoma and ICE have banded together to bolster public safety along Oklahoma’s highways, identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who are in the country illegally and have been recklessly issued a commercial driver’s license by states like California, Illinois, and New Jersey,” said Marcos Charles, the executive associate director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. “Many of the illegal aliens arrested behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound tractor trailer can’t even read basic English, endangering everyone they encounter on the roads.”
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Oklahoma ICE sting busts 34 illegal alien truck drivers, others with rap sheets
An immigration enforcement operation in Oklahoma resulted in dozens of arrests, including 34 illegal alien truck drivers, according to ICE.
‘To lawfully operate a commercial motor vehicle in Oklahoma, you must be here legally and you must be able to understand English.’
The arrests announced earlier this week come amid concerns about road safety and national security related to an influx of foreign drivers entering the American trucking industry following the Biden administration’s open-border policies. These concerns have intensified following several recent fatal crashes involving illegal alien truck drivers.
Operation Guardian, a two-day sweep along the I-40 eastern corridor in late October, led to the arrests of 70 illegal aliens. Among those detained were 26 individuals with CDLs and eight others who were operating commercial vehicles without valid licenses, ICE stated.
The operation involved ICE and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, as part of a 287(g) partnership. The agreement allows OHP troopers to enforce immigration violations.
“For the second time in just the past month, the state of Oklahoma and ICE have banded together to bolster public safety along Oklahoma’s highways, identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who are in the country illegally and have been recklessly issued a commercial driver’s license by states like California, Illinois, and New Jersey,” stated Marcos Charles, the executive associate director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Many of those arrested who were operating commercial vehicles were not in compliance with English proficiency requirements, according to Charles.
Photo by John Moore/Getty Images
Of the 70 illegal aliens nabbed by immigration officials, 36 reportedly had a prior criminal history with offenses that included assault and battery, soliciting prostitution, and DUI. Two illegal aliens were wanted overseas for fraud and burglary.
Those arrested originated from 15 different countries, including China, Colombia, Georgia, Guatemala, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela.
A similar September raid in Oklahoma resulted in the arrests of 120 illegal aliens, including 91 who were operating commercial vehicles.
Photographer: David Peinado/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Oklahoma’s Department of Public Safety stated that the CDLs were issued to the illegal aliens by the following states: California, Washington, Pennsylvania, Illinois, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Minnesota, Ohio, and New York.
“Operation Guardian continues to successfully keep Oklahomans safe,” Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) said. “To lawfully operate a commercial motor vehicle in Oklahoma, you must be here legally and you must be able to understand English. These are commonsense standards that we will continue to enforce.”
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
