by Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, in coordination with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety (DPS) Highway Patrol, arrested 70 foreign nationals over two days during “Operation Guardian” for driving illegally on Oklahoma’s interstate highways.
Details of the Arrests
All 70 drivers were in the U.S. illegally, representing 15 different countries, including China, Colombia, Georgia, Guatemala, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela.
Authorities found that 36 of the arrested individuals had prior convictions for violent crimes, and 34 were operating semi-trucks or other commercial vehicles in violation of federal and state laws. Only 26 of the commercial drivers had valid commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), while 8 were operating without any CDL.
Many of the CDLs had been issued in California, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York, states cited for lax verification processes.
Operation Guardian
The arrests were part of Operation Guardian, an ongoing effort under ICE’s 287(g) program, which allows state and local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws under ICE supervision.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said, “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.”
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Executive Associate Director Marcos Charles emphasized the dangers posed by illegal drivers of large commercial vehicles: “Many of the illegal aliens arrested behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound tractor trailer cannot even read basic English, endangering everyone on the roads.”
Criminal Histories
The individuals arrested had a range of criminal records, including assault and battery, DUI, and soliciting prostitution. Two were wanted by foreign governments for fraud and burglary.
Additionally, while apprehending the drivers, Oklahoma DPS troopers arrested three other foreign nationals for obstruction and resisting arrest. ICE lodged immigration detainers for federal custody.
Previous Operations
This operation follows a similar highway crackdown along I-40, which led to 120 arrests, including 91 illegal drivers operating commercial vehicles.
ICE 287(g) Program in Oklahoma
The 287(g) program allows state and local law enforcement officers to perform immigration enforcement duties under ICE supervision. Oklahoma currently has multiple participants, including county sheriff’s offices, municipal police departments, the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigations, Oklahoma Department of Corrections, and the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, with more applications pending.
ICE highlighted the program’s success in improving highway safety and warned that illegal operation of commercial vehicles will not be tolerated.
Do you believe programs like 287(g) improve road safety, or should enforcement focus differently? Share your thoughts on highway safety and immigration enforcement in the comments below.
