Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (R) announced that the state arrested nearly 130 illegal immigrant truck drivers in a state-wide operation.
Drivers from India, Uzbekistan, China, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Mauritania were arrested.
Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) Chair Kim David stated that Oklahomans “deserve safe highways.”
“We appreciate the opportunity to assist ICE and DPS Troop S by removing non-compliant and dangerous drivers from our roads. By working together as law enforcement partners, we’re reducing risks for every driver,” David said.
Commissioner Brian Bingman said of the action, “There are legitimate concerns with illegal immigrants obtaining [commercial driver’s licenses] in other jurisdictions. The inability to read road signs written in English will lead to accidents. This negligence creates risk for Oklahoma’s drivers.”
Stitt shared the results of the operation in a social media statement, explaining that the state “performed an enforcement action along I-40 and apprehended 125 illegal immigrants.” He compared Oklahoma’s action to that of New York, which provided commercial driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants labeled as “No Name Given.”
The enforcement action aligns with a recent directive by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who directed the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to audit all states’ issuance of non‑domiciled CDLs.
New rules require that CDL applicants provide an unexpired foreign passport and valid work visa, and licenses must expire no later than the driver’s legal status in the U.S. Those in the country illegally are no longer eligible.
President Trump has also ordered that truckers be fluent in English. Truckers “should be able to read and understand traffic signs, communicate with traffic safety, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station officers,” the order states. “Drivers need to provide feedback to their employers and customers and receive related directions in English. This is common sense.”
