Texas officials say a recent enforcement sweep found a striking share of truck drivers were in the country illegally, many holding commercial licenses issued by California.
Governor Greg Abbott announced that state troopers and federal immigration teams stopped 105 trucks in early November and identified a large number of drivers who were not legally in the United States. The revelation has fueled sharp criticism of policies in states that issue licenses without strict verification. The news is triggering federal scrutiny of commercial driver licensing and safety standards across state lines.
Officials reported that 31 of the 105 truck drivers stopped during the operation were in the country illegally, a figure that raises clear public-safety concerns for Texans. Many of those drivers reportedly held commercial driver’s licenses issued by California, prompting questions about how those credentials were vetted. The discovery is being used to argue for tougher checks on who gets behind the wheel of heavy commercial vehicles.
Governor Abbott framed the situation bluntly in his public remarks, underscoring the risk to everyday drivers. “Millions of Texans drive on our highways, roads, and streets every day,” Gov. Abbott said in a statement. He argued that illegal drivers endanger the lives of Texans and other Americans and that enforcement is necessary to keep roads safe.
This joint state and federal operation along one of the nation’s longest transcontinental highways removed illegal drivers and unsafe vehicles from Texas roads. While liberal states like California issue licenses to illegal immigrants and risk the lives of Americans, Texas will work with our federal partners to maintain safe roads and apprehend illegal immigrants to protect our communities.
“Texas apprehended 31 illegal immigrant drivers in the Panhandle,” Abbot wrote in a post on X. “Most of them had been licensed in California. This is an operation by the Texas Department of Public Safety and federal law-enforcement. The mission continues.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has launched an audit of commercial drivers’ licenses to make sure 18-wheelers are not operated by those who lack legal status or necessary qualifications. The audit responds to a pattern of fatal collisions allegedly involving drivers in the country illegally, which critics say could have been prevented with stricter licensing checks. Federal attention to CDLs aims to restore confidence that interstate freight transport meets baseline safety requirements.
California was singled out in reporting and by officials as having issued more than 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses to non-citizens, a number that Republican leaders say shows how permissive state policies can undermine national safety. That figure has driven calls for better cross-state coordination and federal standards so one state’s policies cannot endanger residents of another. Lawmakers and enforcement officials on the right argue for border security and verification measures that stop unqualified drivers from entering the supply chain.
Recent deadly collisions have sharpened the debate. Authorities pointed to a weekend crash involving an 18-wheeler driven by an illegal immigrant that resulted in the death of an Indiana National Guardsman, which amplified outrage among lawmakers and families of victims. Such incidents are used to argue that lax licensing rules and porous borders create avoidable tragedies on America’s roads. Republicans stress the need for enforcement that protects servicemembers and civilians alike.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump, illegal immigration into our great country has virtually stopped. Despite the radical left’s lies, new legislation wasn’t needed to secure our border, just a new president.
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