Wyoming Sheriff Nabs 32 Illegal Immigrant Truckers In Just Three Days
The sheriff of Laramie County says a targeted traffic operation along major interstates led to the arrest of 32 illegal immigrant truck drivers in just three days.
Sheriff Brian Kozak announced that his office carried out a three-day enforcement effort dubbed “Truck Around and Find Out,” resulting in 177 vehicle stops and 51 citations. According to Kozak, the 32 individuals identified as being in the country illegally were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In a video posted to Instagram, Kozak thanked law-abiding truckers for supporting the crackdown.
“I really want to thank the truck drivers who are out there doing it right,” Kozak said. He added that many drivers honked, waved, and personally thanked deputies during the operation. “So hopefully now the word is out, this is not the county that you want to truck around and find out. And when I say truck around, I mean drive a truck undocumented, unlicensed, and unsafe.”
Kozak told the Cowboy State Daily that his traffic unit, made up of three full-time deputies, routinely focuses on commercial vehicle enforcement and frequently encounters unlicensed or undocumented drivers.
“Our traffic unit, which I have three full-time deputies assigned to traffic enforcement, they are looking for these violations every day,” Kozak said. “And they seem to be bringing in either unlicensed or undocumented truck drivers every other day.”
Similar highway enforcement efforts have been reported in states including Indiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and California, where officials say they have removed hundreds of unauthorized or improperly licensed commercial drivers from the road.
The issue drew national attention following a fatal crash in Florida last year involving Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India who allegedly made an illegal U-turn on an interstate, resulting in three deaths. According to prior reporting, Singh obtained a commercial driver’s license in California after entering the country illegally and reportedly failed his CDL test multiple times before passing.
The matter is expected to receive further scrutiny at a hearing of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability. Kozak said enforcement efforts are focused on safety as much as immigration status.
“We’re seeing in Wyoming and throughout the country, these big trucks are causing crashes and people are dying,” he told the Cowboy State Daily.