ICE arrests more than 230 in 15 states in operation cracking down on CDL violations

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(The Center Square) – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested more than 230 illegal foreign nationals in 15 states in a three-day operation cracking down on commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) violations. 

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the results of Operation Guardian at a news conference at Melton Truck Lines, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

ICE worked with state and local partners through Operation Guardian from Oct. 26 to 28. They targeted illegal foreign nationals with unauthorized CDLs and who posed other public safety threats in the trucking industry, Mullin said. 

ICE and state and local law enforcement officers arrested more than 230 illegal foreign nationals, only slightly more than 40 were CDL holders, investigators found.

"In just three days, we arrested more than 230 illegal aliens, including over 40 illegal aliens with commercial driver’s licenses, across 15 states," Mulllin said. "Operation Guardian proves how federal and local law enforcement can work together to get threats like these off of our roadways and protect the homeland. … Our roads are safer with these illegal aliens no longer behind the wheels of semi-trucks.”

Mullin was joined by Melton Truck Lines CEO Bob Peterson and President Robert Ragan, ICE Assistant Director Russell Hott, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Commissioner Tim Tipton, Oklahoma Highway Patrol Colonel Joe Williams and Texas Department of Public Safety Colonel Freeman Martin. 

One notable arrest was made by Oklahoma Highway Patrol after a trooper stopped a vehicle on I-35. He first observed the driver appeared to be looking at his cell phone while driving. After he pulled him over, he checked the vehicle registration and found that the truck was reported stolen in Texas. 

He then attempted to arrest the driver, a male Honduran national in the country illegally, but he resisted arrest and broke the trooper’s arm and fled on foot, DHS said. 

The trooper called for backup and other officers tracked down and arrested the Honduran, OHP said. ICE's Homeland Security Investigations-Tulsa Office filed federal assault and resisistng arrest charges.

In another arrest, Oklahoma Highway Patrol officers stopped a vehicle on I-40 and determined that all seven occupants, including an unaccompanied alien child (UAC), were in the country illegally. ICE also uncovered that the driver was a Mexican national in the country illegally as a gotaway. 

“Gotaway” is the official U.S. Customs and Border Protection term for foreign nationals who illegally enter the country between ports of entry to evade capture. More than two million gotaways were reported during the Biden administration, The Center Square exclusively reported. 

The operation was the latest in which Oklahoma and Texas highway patrol partnered with ICE in states whose governors have issued directives to strengthen CDL enforcement.

In one operation, ICE and Oklahoma law enforcement arrested 70 drivers from 15 countries who were all in the country illegally. The majority had driver’s licenses in violation of federal law and Oklahoma state law, The Center Square reported. 

In another, they arrested 120 illegal foreign nationals. The overwhelming majority, 91, had CDLs in violation of the law, The Center Square reported.

In a one-day operation, Texas DPS arrested 31 illegal CDL drivers, the majority from California, The Center Square reported. 

Through Operation Guardian, ICE also partnered with law enforcement in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Tennessee.

The operation was a part of an ongoing Trump administration crackdown on CDLs abuse.

In late September, ICE launched Operation Guardrail nationwide to target illegal foreign national commercial drivers. By Oct/ 29, ICE had arrested 303 illegal foreign nationals through the operation, it says.

From January 20, 2025, to October 28, 2026, ICE has made 4,795 CDL-related arrests nationwide and 1,233 arrests involving CDL holders, it says.