U.S. Border Patrol agents have arrested dozens of undocumented immigrants found operating heavy commercial vehicles across California, including 30 Indian nationals, raising renewed concerns over highway safety and immigration compliance in the commercial trucking sector.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), agents in the El Centro Sector apprehended 49 undocumented individuals holding commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) during vehicle stops at immigration checkpoints and coordinated inter-agency operations. The arrests took place between November 23 and December 12 while the drivers were traveling on interstate highways or passing through immigration checkpoints.
CBP said that during this period, a total of 42 undocumented individuals were caught driving semi-trucks using CDLs. Of these, 30 were Indian nationals, while others included citizens of El Salvador, China, Eritrea, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Russia, Somalia, Turkey, and Ukraine.
Investigators noted that most of the licenses involved were issued by U.S. states. California accounted for 31 of the CDLs, while the remaining licenses were issued by states including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington.
In a parallel crackdown, Border Patrol agents from the Indio Station took part in Operation Highway Sentinel, a two-day joint enforcement operation conducted on December 10 and 11. The operation was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) units in Ontario and Fontana, California, and focused specifically on commercial trucking companies.
Operation Highway Sentinel resulted in the arrest of 45 undocumented individuals found in possession of commercial driver’s licenses. On the first day, agents apprehended two drivers one Indian national and one Tajik national. On the second day, four Indian nationals and one Uzbek national were taken into custody.
Officials said the operation was launched following several fatal traffic accidents involving undocumented drivers who had been issued CDLs and were operating large commercial trucks at the time of the crashes.
“The purpose of this interagency operation was to enforce immigration law violations, safeguard U.S. highways, and uphold regulatory standards in the commercial transportation sector,” CBP said in its statement.
El Centro Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Joseph Remenar said the enforcement action underscores ongoing risks linked to illegal employment in sensitive industries. He added that the results highlight “the dangers posed by the unmitigated border crisis experienced prior to 2025,” particularly when it intersects with public safety on major roadways.
Authorities said investigations into how the licenses were obtained and whether trucking companies knowingly employed undocumented drivers are ongoing.
