Oklahoma, ICE Launch Second I-40 CDL Crackdown
34 Foreign Drivers Arrested; CDLs Issued by Multiple States
Key Takeaways:
- Oklahoma Highway Patrol and ICE detained 70 people, including 34 commercial drivers in the U.S. illegally, during a 15-hour Interstate 40 sting near the Arkansas border.
- The operation, part of “Operation Guardian,” involved 209 vehicle inspections and targeted drivers lacking legal status or English proficiency, according to state officials.
- Gov. Kevin Stitt said Oklahoma will continue enforcing immigration and safety laws for truckers as other states join similar interstate crackdowns.
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Oklahoma law enforcement’s second dragnet along Interstate 40 snared 34 individuals in the country illegally who were holding commercial driver licenses from various states.
“To lawfully operate a commercial motor vehicle in Oklahoma, you must be here legally and you must be able to understand English. These are common-sense standards that we will continue to enforce,” Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a .
In total, 70 individuals were detained. Of those, 34 were CDL holders — just below half — and the remainder were drivers of passenger vehicles.
The 15-hour sting, called “Operation Guardian,” was conducted near the state’s border with Arkansas and included 209 inspections of commercial motor vehicles.
All Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers are credentialed to enforce immigration violations through a partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. State troopers and ICE agents participated in the sting.
The governor’s office said those arrested came from such countries as El Salvador, India, Mexico, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
“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,” said Marcos Charles, acting executive associate director of ICE enforcement and removal operations.
(miroslav_1/Getty Images)
Additionally, three individuals were taken into state custody on criminal charges, including a confirmed warrant from Interpol and an active felony warrant for burglary. Others arrested had previous criminal convictions for assault, driving under the influence, domestic assault and battery, soliciting prostitution and disorderly conduct, the .
“Through these emphases along I-40, we’re sending a strong message to the trucking industry that America demands safe and legal commercial drivers. In Oklahoma, we will vigorously enforce these laws to keep Oklahomans safe along our highways and interstates,” state Public Safety Commissioner Tim Tipton said.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol and ICE held their first joint I-40 crackdown Sept. 25-28. During that sting, they conducted 500 inspections and arrested 120 — mostly commercial vehicle drivers. Most were taken into custody for immigration violations. Inspections were conducted at the Port of Entry in Beckham County at the Texas state line.
During both I-40 operations, those arrested held CDLs issued by California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington, DPS stated.
Oklahoma joins a growing list of states targeting interstates near their borders to enforce federal regulations for English-language proficiency and partnering with ICE on immigration enforcement actions regarding undocumented foreign truckers. Other states that have launched similar crackdowns include Colorado, Florida, Indiana and Wyoming.
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