30 Indian Nationals Among 49 Illegal Migrants Caught Driving Semitrucks in US

US border authorities have arrested 49 undocumented immigrants for illegally operating semitrucks with commercial driver’s licenses during a series of enforcement actions in California. Among those detained, 30 were Indian nationals, making them the largest group involved in the case.

The arrests were carried out by border agents in California’s El Centro region during routine vehicle stops at immigration checkpoints, as well as through coordinated interagency operations conducted over several weeks. Officials said the individuals were stopped while travelling on major interstate highways or attempting to cross immigration checkpoints in commercial vehicles.

Between November 23 and December 12, authorities apprehended 42 undocumented individuals who were found driving semitrucks despite lacking legal immigration status. The remaining arrests took place during a separate, large-scale enforcement drive targeting commercial trucking operations.

Apart from Indian nationals, those detained included individuals from El Salvador, China, Eritrea, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Russia, Somalia, Turkey, Ukraine, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Officials revealed that most of the commercial driver’s licenses used by the arrested individuals were issued by California. Additional licenses were traced to several other US states, including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

In mid-December, authorities launched a focused two-day operation aimed at commercial trucking companies operating in California. The enforcement drive resulted in 45 arrests of undocumented individuals holding commercial driver’s licenses. On the first day, two drivers were detained, while five more were apprehended on the second day.

The crackdown followed growing concerns over road safety after multiple fatal and serious accidents involving undocumented truck drivers in recent months. In several cases, drivers operating heavy commercial vehicles were linked to deadly crashes, prompting authorities to intensify checks within the trucking sector.

Officials said the operation was designed to enforce immigration laws, strengthen highway safety, and ensure compliance with regulations governing commercial transportation. Authorities stressed that individuals without legal status should not be allowed to operate heavy vehicles that pose significant risks to public safety.

Enforcement agencies have indicated that similar operations may continue in the coming weeks as part of broader efforts to address immigration violations and improve safety standards across US highways.