ICE Cracks Down on 120+ Illegal Immigrant Drivers After Texas DMV Loophole Exposed
Federal agents arrested more than 120 illegal immigrants last week in Houston after uncovering a loophole that allowed non-citizens to register vehicles in Texas despite lacking legal immigration status.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed the arrests were part of a single-day operation targeting unlicensed and uninsured drivers who “should NOT be behind the wheel,” the agency said in a statement. The effort comes as President Trump’s administration ramps up enforcement actions against illegal immigrant drivers amid ongoing border and public safety concerns.
The sweep follows reports that individuals without lawful status have been able to register vehicles in Texas, sparking immediate scrutiny from lawmakers. State Rep. Brian Harrison, a Republican representing Ellis County, is demanding answers from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
In a letter obtained by The Daily Wire, Harrison called on the DMV board to end what he described as an outrageous failure to verify lawful presence before issuing registrations.
“The Texas government should be a force multiplier of President Trump’s efforts to combat illegal immigration, not enabling or incentivizing it,” Harrison wrote. “It is past time the Texas government starts acting like we are in a battle for the future of western civilization, because we are.”
Harrison warned that if the DMV doesn’t act swiftly, he’ll push legislation to mandate citizenship or legal status verification as a condition for registering a vehicle.
Under current law, Texas grants the DMV wide authority to set identification requirements for vehicle registration — which Harrison argues should include a lawful presence check. “I am writing today to inquire what steps, if any, the DMV has taken to determine whether the owner of the vehicle is lawfully in the country before issuing vehicle registrations,” he wrote.
The crackdown also aligns with a broader ICE effort to target illegal immigrant truck drivers who hold non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). Several recent deadly highway crashes involving unlicensed or improperly licensed foreign nationals have raised red flags, particularly around CDLs issued in California.
?ICE on the roads?
We made over 120 arrests in Houston Oct. 29 — clearing our roads of dangerous, often unlicensed and uninsured, illegal aliens who should NOT be behind the wheel. pic.twitter.com/qg4EcN9Fnr
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) November 3, 2025
President Trump’s administration has responded with sweeping enforcement actions — citing public safety, rule of law, and the need to restore integrity to both licensing systems and the southern border.
The operation in Houston is likely to be the first of many as both federal and state authorities come under growing pressure to close the loopholes that have allowed illegal immigrants to get behind the wheel.