ICE Arrests 223 Illegal Aliens in Indiana Highway Operation, 146 Were Truck Drivers
Secretary Kristi Noem announced that a joint 287(g) operation between ICE and the Indiana State Police resulted in the arrest of 223 illegal aliens along Indiana highways near the Illinois border, including 146 truck drivers. The operation, conducted in Northwest Indiana as part of Chicago-based Operation Midway Blitz, targeted individuals involved in offenses including DUI, drug trafficking, burglary, assault, child abuse, domestic battery, prostitution, and fraud. More than 40 of those arrested had been issued commercial driver’s licenses, primarily from Illinois, California, and New York.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has also conducted roadside enforcement actions in multiple states, including New York, detaining drivers holding valid commercial licenses issued by other states. Federal and state officials said these operations were intended to address public safety risks associated with illegal aliens operating commercial vehicles and cited recent fatal crashes as justification for coordinated enforcement, particularly in and around sanctuary jurisdictions.
The enforcement actions followed federal audits that identified widespread CDL fraud and improper issuance practices across multiple states. Federal officials estimate that as many as 130,000 undocumented truck drivers may be operating in the United States, with tens of thousands believed to have obtained licenses through illegitimate means.
The Trump administration has threatened to withhold highway funding from states that fail to comply with federal audits and revoke licenses issued under questionable circumstances. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that New York could lose up to $73 million in federal highway funding if the state fails to address audit findings within 30 days. Similar funding threats have been directed at California at $160 million, Texas at $182 million, and Minnesota at $30 million.
New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles rejected the allegations, stating that it complies with federal requirements and verifies lawful status using federally issued documents. State officials characterized the funding threat as a political action that does not improve road safety.
California has filed a lawsuit against the federal government seeking the return of tens of millions of dollars in withheld transportation funding, arguing that the funding cuts are arbitrary and unlawful. The state has begun revoking 17,000 improperly issued licenses in response to federal pressure.
Federal audits found that 53 percent of sampled non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses in New York were issued illegally and that 25 percent of 145 non-domiciled licenses reviewed in California since June 2025 were improperly issued. Additional audits identified improper issuance practices in Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington.
The issue is longstanding. Between 2000 and 2021, the number of foreign-born truck drivers more than doubled, rising from 316,000 to more than 720,000. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that immigrants made up approximately 18 to 20 percent of truck drivers in 2024, compared to 18.6 percent of the overall U.S. labor force. Industry sources, including FreightWaves, estimate the actual share may exceed 20 percent due to underreporting by small fleets. Immigrant truck drivers primarily come from Central America and the Caribbean, accounting for about 59.8 percent, followed by South America at 6.5 percent, with additional drivers from India, China, Poland, Ukraine, and other regions.