Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced that 31 drivers, all found to be in the United States illegally and mostly holding commercial driver licenses (CDLs) from California, were apprehended along Interstate 40 during a recent joint law enforcement operation.
“Millions of Texans drive on our highways, roads, and streets every day,” said Governor Abbott. “When illegal immigrants break the law and illegally drive on our roads, they endanger the lives of countless Texans and Americans. 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.”
The coordinated effort took place on November 11 in Wheeler County. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) conducted commercial vehicle inspections alongside Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The focus was on identifying individuals with questionable CDLs during routine inspections.
According to officials, DPS CVE troopers inspected 105 commercial vehicles during the operation. They could not verify the lawful presence of 31 drivers who presented CDLs; these cases were referred to ICE for further review. Authorities later determined that all 31 drivers were in the country illegally.
Most of the CDLs shown by these drivers had been issued in California, while none originated from Texas.
