143 arrested as Border Patrol targets truckers in Arizona

Truck drivers who pass through Tucson on Interstate 10 and other major freight routes could face greater scrutiny as federal officials expand a crackdown aimed at immigrant commercial drivers. The Border Patrol says it arrested 143 people during a five day operation in southern Arizona, including 95 truck drivers it described as undocumented immigrants who were working with state issued commercial driver’s licenses. The enforcement effort adds to uncertainty for drivers, trucking companies and businesses that depend on the movement of goods through Tucson and across the border region.

The operation ran from Aug. 10 through Aug. 14 and was conducted by agents in the Border Patrol’s Yuma Sector. Officials said the people arrested came from 18 countries. Of the 95 truck drivers identified by the agency, 76 had commercial licenses issued in California and six held licenses issued in New York. The rest had licenses from other states. Although the arrests took place in the Yuma Sector, the consequences could reach Tucson because the two communities are connected by major commercial transportation corridors and because many drivers travel across Arizona as part of longer regional routes.

Border Patrol officials said the operation was focused on drivers who either lacked legal authorization to remain in the United States, failed to meet English language requirements or held commercial licenses that were improperly issued. The agency also reported stopping two human smuggling incidents. Four people were arrested on suspicion of smuggling, while 17 people were taken into custody as individuals allegedly being smuggled into the country. Agents also seized one firearm, 74 pounds of methamphetamine and 169 pounds of marijuana.

Acting Yuma Sector Chief Patrol Agent Dustin W. Caudle said the agency’s mission includes protecting residents from what he called international threats. In a written statement, he grouped unlicensed or untrained drivers with organizations involved in human and drug trafficking. Federal officials have linked the larger campaign against immigrant truck drivers to several high profile fatal crashes, arguing that drivers who cannot demonstrate English proficiency or who obtained their licenses improperly may create public safety risks.

The policy has drawn criticism from advocates and others who work in the trucking industry. Critics say there is no firm evidence showing immigrant drivers are less safe than other commercial drivers as a group. They argue that the enforcement effort is part of the Trump administration’s broader mass deportation campaign rather than a narrowly focused effort to improve road safety. Truck drivers from India, particularly Punjabi Sikhs, have also reported increased harassment and racial profiling connected to the crackdown.

At the center of the dispute is the treatment of non domiciled commercial driver’s licenses. The designation applies to people from other countries who live in the United States and have obtained commercial licenses while holding valid work permits tied to temporary legal status. That group has included asylum seekers, people covered by Temporary Protected Status and DACA recipients. A new rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration limits eligibility for those licenses to noncitizens with H-2A, H-2B and E2 visas, excluding the categories of work permit holders previously covered.

Federal regulators are also enforcing English proficiency rules more aggressively. During inspections, drivers who fail English tests can be removed from the road immediately. The Transportation Department announced Aug. 31 that it had closed 110 commercial truck driving schools connected to more than 5,000 drivers who failed English proficiency tests. The list included two schools in Glendale, Anet Transport LLC and State 44 Transport, highlighting how the policy is affecting training businesses in Arizona as well as drivers.

Anet Transport owner Yoan Martinez Trujillo said his school received notice on Aug. 31 that its operating license had been terminated, a decision he called unjust and plans to challenge. He said the school opened in March and had trained about 100 people. The school serves both English and Spanish speakers, he said, but all classes are taught in English and instructors speak only English. State 44 Transport did not respond to a request for comment.

The latest arrests follow a similar Yuma Sector operation in May, called Operation Checkmate, in which agents arrested 52 people over five days, including 36 immigrant truck drivers with commercial licenses. Border Patrol officials said most of those drivers had work permits issued during the Biden administration that were no longer valid. For Tucson residents, the continuing operations could mean more inspections and enforcement activity along freight routes, while trucking companies may need to review their drivers’ immigration documents, licensing status and language qualifications. The available information does not indicate any specific operation in Tucson, but the regional campaign is likely to remain a concern for people who drive commercial vehicles or rely on the trucking network that connects Tucson with the rest of Arizona.