A troubling new investigation has revealed that Chinese illegal immigrants are obtaining commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and entering the U.S. trucking industry with the assistance of a network tied to the Chinese government.
According to a detailed report by the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF), a New York–based nonprofit called the Chinese American Trucker Organization USA Inc. (CATOU) has allegedly helped over 1,000 Chinese nationals—many without legal status—secure CDLs across multiple states. The organization boasts a 100% pass rate for its students, according to its own business filings, social media posts, and website.
Videos shared online show at least one Chinese national who crossed the southern border illegally obtaining a California CDL after taking courses taught by CATOU instructors. The revelation raises serious questions about public safety and national security—especially given the organization’s leadership ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
CATOU’s board chairwoman, Geng Hang, has previously held roles in organizations linked to the United Front Work Department (UFWD)—a CCP agency known for advancing Beijing’s influence and intelligence operations abroad.
“No way American citizens voted for the California gateway for illegal migrants to operate heavy vehicles throughout America. That of itself is a public safety and homeland security concern,” said Steve Yates, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation.
“Having a large CCP-tied network train, certify, and place their illegal migrants across America’s vital surface shipping routes elevates national security risks,” Yates added. “In a time of tension or crisis with the CCP, how confident could we be that this network wouldn’t be used against us?”
CATOU and Geng did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
A Pipeline for Illegal Migrants
DCNF’s investigation found that CATOU instructors have been conducting CDL training inside the New York office of Red Apple Employment Agency, another business led by Geng. The agency advertises job placements for Chinese nationals—both legal and illegal—for fees ranging from $80 to $100 per placement, according to a 2024 Wall Street Journal report.
Although Red Apple does not appear in New York’s business registry, its office signage and social media videos clearly link it to CATOU. CATOU members have also provided instruction at 7 CDL Driving School in Manassas, Virginia, which shares an address with Red Apple Enterprises Inc., a trucking company also owned by Geng.
A Chinese social media user known as @tiange999, who documented his illegal journey through South and Central America before crossing the U.S. border in 2023, claimed to have obtained a CDL through CATOU’s programs in less than two months.
“The driving school where I’m studying has trained over 1,000 Chinese students and not one has failed so far,” he wrote in September 2024. “Experienced students can pass in just one week, while beginners pass in about a month.”
The same user has since posted videos showing himself driving a commercial bus for NC Transfer Inc., a company with offices in North Carolina and New York.
National Security Alarm Bells
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports that 8.5 million illegal aliens have been encountered at the southern border since 2021, including over 182,000 Chinese nationals during that time. Security experts warn that networks such as CATOU could be facilitating rapid assimilation of CCP-linked individuals into critical U.S. infrastructure sectors like transportation.
The issue gained new urgency following a deadly August 2025 truck crash in Florida involving an illegal immigrant with a California CDL who reportedly “did not speak English.” The driver was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the Trump administration is now ramping up scrutiny of the trucking industry in response.
Industry experts warn the threat extends beyond individual drivers.
“These guys are already here and already operating,” said Justin Martin, a trucking veteran. “It doesn’t matter how many you catch—they’ll just get hired somewhere else until the companies themselves are shut down.”
Chinese Influence in the U.S. Trucking Sector
Further investigation revealed Geng’s deep involvement in CCP-linked organizations, including the American Shaanxi General Chamber of Commerce (ASGCC)—a U.S.-based entity tied to China’s provincial Department of Commerce and the China Overseas Friendship Association, a known UFWD affiliate.
ASGCC has hosted numerous Chinese government delegations and even held meetings inside the same New York office space shared by CATOU and Red Apple. One 2009 event featured Geng personally greeting CCP officials and participating in cultural performances celebrating the Chinese military.
“We are slowly giving over our entire trucking industry to foreign actors,” said Gord Magill, a trucking industry writer.
“Foreign entities know our corporations are suppressing wages and undermining their own workforce. They’re exploiting that weakness to gain strategic insight into how our transportation systems function—at the cost of American jobs and American safety.”
Neither ASGCC, CATOU, Red Apple Employment Agency, 7 CDL Driving School, Red Apple Enterprises, NC Transfer Inc., nor the Department of Transportation responded to DCNF’s repeated requests for comment.