95 Illegal Immigrant Truck Drivers Busted in Arizona — Most Had Commercial Licenses From California

Federal authorities arrested 95 illegal immigrant truck drivers during a sweeping multi-agency operation in Arizona, with every driver possessing a state-issued commercial driver’s license despite their immigration status.

The operation took place in the Border Patrol’s Yuma Sector between Aug. 10 and Aug. 14. According to Customs and Border Protection, an overwhelming majority of the commercial licenses traced back to California.

Of the 95 drivers arrested, 76 held California-issued commercial driver’s licenses. Another six had licenses from New York, while the remaining drivers received their CDLs from several other states.

The arrests are raising new questions about how illegal immigrants obtained licenses allowing them to operate massive commercial vehicles on American highways. The Trump administration has already been scrutinizing state licensing systems and trucking schools over concerns that unqualified foreign drivers have been improperly placed behind the wheel.

Acting Chief Patrol Agent Dustin Caudle said authorities are committed to protecting Americans from both unqualified drivers and international criminal organizations involved in human and drug smuggling.

The Yuma operation extended beyond the 95 truck drivers. Authorities said a total of 143 suspects from 18 different countries were arrested during the five-day enforcement effort.

Agents also disrupted two human-smuggling operations. Four alleged smugglers were arrested along with 17 illegal immigrants who authorities said were being smuggled.

Large quantities of illegal drugs were seized as well. CBP reported confiscating 74 pounds of methamphetamine and another 169 pounds of marijuana during the operation.

Commercial trucks have increasingly become a focus for federal authorities because smugglers can use tractor-trailers and other large vehicles to conceal people, narcotics and other contraband while moving across the country.

The arrests come even as overall illegal border crossings have fallen dramatically. Border encounters dropped from more than 144,000 in December 2024 to roughly 33,000 in July, according to federal figures cited in the report.

Despite that decline, authorities continue uncovering major smuggling operations. Recent cases have included illegal immigrants concealed inside semi-trucks and attempts to move drugs, weapons and people across U.S. borders.

The Department of Transportation is now finalizing new regulations intended to make it significantly harder for unqualified foreign drivers to obtain commercial licenses.

Under the proposed rule, eligibility for certain non-domiciled CDLs would be restricted to individuals holding H-2A, H-2B or E-2 nonimmigrant status. The administration argues those categories provide stronger verification requirements.

The proposed changes would also prevent applicants from relying on an Employment Authorization Document alone to establish eligibility for a commercial license, with federal officials raising concerns about weaknesses in the existing verification process.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has made cracking down on unqualified foreign truck drivers a major priority. The administration is simultaneously enforcing English-language requirements and investigating potentially fraudulent trucking companies and commercial driving schools.

Federal officials argue the issue goes beyond immigration enforcement because commercial trucks can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, making proper training, licensing and communication skills critical to public safety.

The Arizona operation provides another example of why the administration says tougher enforcement is necessary. With 95 illegal immigrant truck drivers arrested — including 76 carrying California-issued commercial licenses — federal authorities are now intensifying efforts to determine how unqualified drivers are getting licensed and onto America’s highways.