30 Indians Arrested in US Immigration Crackdown While Working as Truck Drivers
- MediaFx
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Around 30 Indian nationals found to be living illegally in the United States and working as commercial truck drivers have been arrested in a federal immigration enforcement drive and are set to be deported, officials said. The arrests occurred during “Operation Checkmate” conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Arizona’s Yuma Sector between May 11 and May 15, when a total of 52 undocumented individuals were detained, including 36 who were operating semi‑trucks. Of those 36 drivers, 30 were Indian nationals, while the remainder were from Mexico, El Salvador and Russia, according to a statement issued by CBP. Many of the arrested individuals held commercial driver’s licences issued by U.S. states such as California, New York, Washington and Virginia, though some did not possess any valid licence. Most also had employment authorisation documents obtained during the administration of former President Joe Biden, but those permits had since expired and were no longer valid. U.S. authorities said all those detained are being processed under federal immigration laws and will be deported. Operation Checkmate is aimed at enforcing immigration laws by identifying undocumented persons operating commercial motor vehicles, with officials saying the enforcement action reflects a commitment to public safety and securing communities and roads across the United States. Acting Chief Patrol Agent Dustin Caudle said federal agents are on patrol daily to prevent unauthorised drivers from operating on U.S. roads and reduce the risk of deadly crashes caused by unqualified operators. The arrests come amid heightened scrutiny of foreign commercial drivers under the current U.S. administration, which has issued orders aimed at restricting unqualified foreign nationals from obtaining licences to drive commercial trucks and buses.
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