Trump Administration’s Immigration Crackdown in Trucking Industry

The Trump administration has announced the outcomes of a crackdown on illegal immigration within the trucking industry. The Department of Transportation (DOT) initiated Operation Highway Shield in Florida earlier this year, which has now extended to several Midwest states such as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Ohio.

During this operation, officials conducted 3,487 enforcement stops. These resulted in numerous actions, including placing 766 unsafe commercial vehicles or drivers out of service, 51 immigration detentions, 47 criminal charges, 39 incarcerations, 36 English Language Proficiency (ELP) violations, and the recovery of stolen cargo worth approximately $1 million.

Federal immigration and commercial driving enforcement remains a top priority, emphasized the Trump administration. This facet of the broader operation targets specific illegal activities within the trucking sector.

Initially reported by Fox News in March, the enforcement efforts have revealed significant deficiencies. Florida Troopers noted that up to half of the truckers at certain weigh stations fail to meet English proficiency standards. Master Trooper Craig Lents stated, I try to concentrate on the [signs] they have to read. If you are going down the road at 70 miles per hour, and you see that sign, you only see it for a split second.

Footage captured during the operation showed troopers questioning a trucker about road sign meanings, only to receive a repeated, No. Federal Motor Carrier Safety administrator Derek Barrs highlighted the longstanding federal English requirements, citing safety concerns: It’s a safety issue. If there was a crash or something like that, I would want to make sure that driver would know how to respond.

Authorities flagged the inability to speak or read English as hazardous. Truckers often pass essential road signs at high speeds while handling massive loads. The crackdown follows a series of fatal crashes involving drivers who, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), were in the U.S. illegally or holding commercial drivers’ licenses (CDLs) they should not have received.

Alexis McAdams remains active as a Fox News Channel (FNC) correspondent in New York City, joining the network in October 2021.