ICE Arrests 223 Illegal Aliens in Indiana Highway Operation, 146 Were Truck Drivers

Secretary Kristi Noem announced that a joint 287(g) operation between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Indiana State Police resulted in the arrest of 223 illegal aliens along Indiana highways near the Illinois border, including 146 truck drivers. The operation, part of Chicago-based Operation Midway Blitz in Northwest Indiana, targeted individuals involved in offenses such as DUI, drug trafficking, burglary, assault, child abuse, domestic battery, prostitution, and fraud. Over 40 of those arrested held commercial driver’s licenses, primarily issued in Illinois, California, and New York.

ICE has conducted similar roadside enforcement operations in multiple states, detaining drivers with valid commercial licenses issued in other states. Federal and state officials said the actions aim to address public safety risks associated with illegal aliens operating commercial vehicles and cited recent fatal crashes as justification for coordinated enforcement, particularly in and around sanctuary jurisdictions.

These enforcement actions follow federal audits that uncovered widespread commercial driver’s license (CDL) fraud and improper issuance practices across multiple states. Federal officials estimate that up to 130,000 undocumented truck drivers may currently operate in the U.S., with tens of thousands obtaining licenses through illegitimate means.

The Trump administration has threatened to withhold highway funding from states that fail federal audits or issue licenses under questionable circumstances. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that New York could lose up to $73 million in federal highway funding if audit findings are not addressed within 30 days, with similar threats to California ($160 million), Texas ($182 million), and Minnesota ($30 million). New York’s DMV rejected the allegations, stating it complies with federal requirements and verifies lawful status using federally issued documents, calling the funding threat politically motivated.

California has filed a lawsuit seeking the return of withheld federal transportation funds, while also revoking 17,000 improperly issued licenses in response to federal pressure. Federal audits found that 53 percent of sampled non-domiciled CDLs in New York were illegally issued, while 25 percent of 145 non-domiciled licenses reviewed in California since June 2025 were improper. Other states with identified issues include Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington.

The issue reflects long-term trends in the trucking industry. Between 2000 and 2021, the number of foreign-born truck drivers more than doubled, from 316,000 to over 720,000. Immigrants made up 18–20 percent of truck drivers in 2024, compared with 18.6 percent of the overall U.S. labor force. Industry estimates suggest the true share may exceed 20 percent due to underreporting. Most immigrant drivers come from Central America and the Caribbean (59.8%), followed by South America (6.5%), with additional drivers from India, China, Poland, Ukraine, and other regions.

Certain states have particularly high percentages of immigrant truck drivers: California (46.7%), New Jersey (40.4%), Florida (32.2%), and New York (25.7%). In Houston, nearly 40 percent of truck drivers are immigrants, while in the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim area, 52 percent are foreign-born.

In addition to immigrant drivers, illegal alien drivers have contributed to widespread CDL fraud, including identity theft, bribery schemes, fraudulent Mexican licenses, and test-taking fraud. In August 2025, federal authorities charged Flor Consuelo Del Carmen Caballero Bernabe, a 55-year-old Peruvian citizen, with using a stolen identity to obtain and maintain a Connecticut CDL for nearly 25 years. Caballero Bernabe entered the U.S. in 2000 on a non-immigrant visa, using the identity of a U.S. citizen to work, obtain a CDL, and travel internationally with a U.S. passport.

Other investigations uncovered large-scale CDL fraud schemes:

Washington: Skyline CDL School and a third-party examiner accepted cash bribes in “gold envelopes” to certify drivers, bypassing testing and training requirements. Retesting showed 80 percent of drivers failed. Washington revoked Skyline’s license and 110 driver credentials.
Texas: Counterfeit Mexican Licencias Federales de Conductor were used by drivers from Central America, often in construction zones, leading to increased crash rates. Drivers purchased fake licenses for about $2,500 through third-party vendors.
California: Multiple trucking schools and DMV employees issued hundreds of fraudulent CDLs, resulting in 20 convictions.
Massachusetts: Former State Police Sergeant Gary Cederquist was convicted on 48 counts for bribing to issue false passing scores to CDL applicants, a practice known as the “golden handshake.”

These cases highlight ongoing risks to public safety and the trucking industry from CDL fraud and illegal drivers, prompting intensified federal and state enforcement.

Original Source