120 Illegal Aliens Arrested During Major Highway Crackdown in Oklahoma
by David Lindfield
120 illegal aliens have been arrested during a large-scale enforcement action in Oklahoma near the Texas border, state officials confirmed Tuesday.
The operation was led by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, working alongside Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Dubbed Operation Guardian, the plan was launched by Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt in coordination with Oklahoma’s Department of Public Safety as part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigration and public safety risks.
The operation took place along Interstate 40 at a port of entry.
Troopers encountered more than 500 individuals and turned 120 over to ICE.
Most of the arrests involved drivers of 80,000-pound 18-wheelers carrying unverifiable or fraudulent licenses, according to authorities.
Department of Public Safety Commissioner Tim Tipton said the findings underscored the potential dangers on Oklahoma’s highways.
“You don’t have a minor collision with a commercial vehicle,” Tipton warned.
“An 80,000-pound truck at 70 miles an hour isn’t going to be a minor crash.”
State data shows Oklahoma currently houses about 525 undocumented offenders in its prisons, costing taxpayers $36,000 per day.