Roughly 125 undocumented immigrants hoping to continue hauling freight through Oklahoma found themselves detained this week as part of the state’s expanded enforcement initiative, Operation Guardian.
Governor Kevin Stitt announced that the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted what he described as “a targeted enforcement action along Interstate 40 in western Oklahoma,” resulting in the arrest of more than 125 individuals. Those detained included nationals from India, Uzbekistan, China, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Mauritania.
“These individuals posed a public safety risk by operating 80,000-pound commercial vehicles without proper verification,” the governor’s office said in a press release.
The statement also featured an image of a New York State driver’s license issued to “No Name Given,” underscoring the controversy surrounding states that allow undocumented immigrants to obtain commercial driving credentials.
“If New York wants to hand out CDLs to illegal immigrants with ‘No Name Given,’ that’s on them,” Stitt said. “The moment they cross into Oklahoma, they answer to our laws. I want to thank our troopers and ICE officials for their hard work. This is about keeping Oklahomans safe.”
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC), which manages the state’s ports of entry, collaborated in the operation alongside federal and state agencies. “Oklahomans deserve safe highways,” OCC Chair Kim David said, according to Oklahoma Voice. “We appreciate the opportunity to assist ICE and DPS Troop S by removing non-compliant and dangerous drivers from our roads. By working together as law enforcement partners, we’re reducing risks for every driver.”
Commissioner Todd Hiett added that the operation relied heavily on technology and training to identify violations efficiently. “Our officers’ professionalism and use of technology allow them to quickly assess each driver and rig — resolving permitting concerns, issuing fines, or ordering further inspection when necessary,” he explained.
Originally launched to deport undocumented individuals held by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Operation Guardian has since broadened its mission. Earlier this year, the state expanded the program in partnership with ICE to remove undocumented immigrants residing or working illegally in Oklahoma.
The crackdown comes amid a growing national debate over road safety and state-level licensing policies for noncitizens. In August, that debate intensified after a fatal crash in Florida involving an undocumented truck driver. Authorities said the driver, Harjinder Singh, attempted an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike in Fort Pierce, causing a collision that killed three people. Singh, who reportedly obtained his commercial driver’s license in California, has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the Department of Homeland Security.
As Oklahoma continues to align its enforcement priorities with federal immigration authorities, Stitt has made it clear that the state intends to keep its roads — and its laws — tightly guarded.
