A multi-agency operation targeting unqualified and unsafe drivers recently placed nearly 800 truckers out of service and detained dozens more determined to be in the country illegally.
On Tuesday, Aug. 4, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, along with Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, announced the results from the second wave of Operation Highway Shield. According to the DOT, the three-day operation “targeted unqualified foreign drivers operating big rigs across U.S. highways and freight corridors.”
From July 28 through July 30, inspectors from various agencies – including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and state highway patrols – conducted roadside checks in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio aimed at cracking down on “illegal, unvetted drivers and unsafe vehicles.”
“When illegal aliens are behind the wheels of semi-trucks, they are putting American lives in danger,” DHS Secretary Mullin said in a statement. “With the latest wave of Operation Highway Shield, DHS and our partners at the Department of Transportation have removed more than 800 dangerous truckers from our roadways, including more than 50 illegal aliens and more than 30 drivers who failed English-language proficiency tests”
According to the U.S. DOT, the three-day operation resulted in:
- 51 illegal immigrants detained, including 21 drivers with non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses issued by California and New York
- 766 drivers and vehicles placed out of service
- 86 commercial vehicle operators arrested for dangerous behavior (including road rage and domestic violence)
- 36 violations issued for failing English-language proficiency tests
- The recovery of nearly $1 million in stolen cargo
During the first wave of Operation Highway Shield – which was held this past March in Florida – officials conducted over 3,300 inspections resulting in 176 drivers being taken out of service. Of those drivers, 54 were removed for “language deficiencies.” Additionally, 35 arrests were made on criminal-related charges, with another 42 individuals taken into custody for violating federal immigration laws.
“Every life lost from an illegal trucker behind the wheel of a big rig is a completely preventable tragedy – and this administration will not stand for it,” Duffy said in a statement. “Our new partnership with DHS builds on President Trump’s progress to secure our roads, eliminate fraud and restore the integrity of trucking in America… If you continue to illegally operate a big rig – your days on America’s streets are numbered.”
The operation is part of the DOT’s ongoing efforts to clean up the trucking industry. According to the department, since April 2025 – when President Trump issued an executive order to enforce English-language proficiency regulations – 26,000 drivers have been placed out of service for failing to speak basic English or read road signs. Additionally, the departments said that more than 30,000 illegally issued licenses have been revoked from unvetted foreign drivers. LL
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