(CALIFORNIA) U.S. Customs and Border Protection says at least 87 immigrant commercial truck drivers have been arrested in California by federal agents since late November, part of a growing push that officials say targets immigration violations in the trucking industry. The arrests, confirmed by CBP as of December 2025, include a two-day sweep called Operation Highway Sentinel and a separate run of stops on desert highways near Indio. Federal officials argue the operations respond to deadly crashes involving semitrucks and drivers they say lacked proper legal status, even when they carried valid commercial licenses. The agency did not release names publicly.
Operation Highway Sentinel: December 10–11, 2025
CBP said 45 CDL holders were arrested on December 10–11, 2025, in Ontario and Fontana, east of Los Angeles, during Operation Highway Sentinel. Border Patrol agents worked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, focusing on commercial trucking companies and the drivers moving freight in and out of warehouses.
The agency said the enforcement was “prompted” by fatal wrecks that involved unlicensed immigrants driving semis, though CBP has not provided case files. Officers questioned drivers, checked identity documents, and made arrests for what officials described as immigration violations. Local streets saw units stop rigs as other trucks rolled past.
Indio-area stops and checkpoint operations
A second set of arrests came from CBP’s Indio Station. Border Patrol agents detained 42 CDL holders between November 23 and December 12, 2025, on Highways 86 and 111 and at checkpoints, CBP said.
- Of those licenses, California issued 31.
- The remaining licenses were issued by: Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington.
- CBP said it confirmed the commercial driver’s licenses were valid, but did not say whether the drivers had work authorization or criminal histories.
- The agency did not report whether any arrestees missed court dates or were later released.
Official statements and the federal–state dispute
“The individuals arrested should never have been operating these semitrucks, and the states issuing them commercial driver’s licenses are directly responsible for the fatal accidents we have tragically witnessed recently,”
— El Centro Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Joseph Remenar
Remenar blamed states that issued the licenses, saying federal agents were forced to act “stepping in where his state failed,” as CBP framed the effort. He also said Border Patrol is making more arrests inside the country than at the border in Fiscal Year 2026. CBP did not give totals but called the trend a turning point.
This has sharpened a long-running dispute over who polices the trucking workforce: states issue CDLs, while federal law controls immigration status. CBP’s verification that licenses were valid undercuts online rumors that the documents were fake, but the agency also said it could not confirm:
- Whether arrested drivers were allowed to work in the United States 🇺🇸
- Whether they were in compliance with immigration court orders
- Whether they had other criminal records
Lawyers say these gaps matter because immigration violations can range from paperwork issues to crimes, and each case turns on specific facts.
Reactions from migrant advocates and industry
Migrant advocates argue the sweeps cast too wide a net in an industry already short of drivers and under pressure to move goods. They say many arrested are:
- Refugees
- Asylum seekers
- DACA recipients — young adults brought to the United States 🇺🇸 as children who receive temporary protection
Advocates note these people had been working openly with state-issued licenses. They contend the operation’s focus on trucking yards and highways can feel like a dragnet that punishes workers while companies keep shipping.
Concerns raised by advocates include:
- Fear of roadside stops may keep drivers from reporting safety problems
- Drivers may avoid seeking help after crashes
- The crackdown could push immigrant drivers into informal, riskier jobs
Some warehouse operators report fewer independent truckers taking work after Operation Highway Sentinel; others report no change.
Federal actions on training and potential consequences
CBP cited a December 1, 2025 action that revoked accreditation for nearly 3,000 CDL training centers and sent notices to 4,500 others for noncompliance. Industry groups and some state officials have said poor training can lead to unsafe driving.
Advocates warn that this crackdown on training could:
- Make it harder for newcomers to get licensed
- Push more immigrant drivers into informal and riskier jobs
- Ultimately reduce safety rather than improve it
CBP has not said how many drivers trained at the affected schools.
Employer responsibilities and impacts on families
For trucking companies, the arrests raise questions about hiring checks and sudden losses of staff. Federal law requires employers to verify identity and work permission, yet CBP’s statement left open whether:
- Drivers had been properly screened at hiring
- Drivers’ immigration status changed after they were hired
Some drivers may be in removal proceedings while also fighting asylum claims — a process that can take years. Official details have been limited, and CBP has directed the public to general information on its enforcement mission at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Families of those detained can face immediate income shocks at home.
Broader patterns and possible outcomes
Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests the California operations fit a broader pattern in which immigration enforcement turns to workplaces and highways — not just the border — when political leaders want visible results.
Remenar’s comment about interior arrests outpacing border arrests in Fiscal Year 2026 points in that direction, though CBP has not published the counts. The people taken into custody may face different outcomes depending on their cases:
- Being sent to immigration detention
- Placement into expedited removal
- Scheduled hearings in immigration court
CBP has not identified any of the 87 arrestees, making it hard to verify individual circumstances or to know who was driving legally.
On-the-ground effects and differing perspectives
On the ground, enforcement has left many immigrant drivers weighing whether to keep taking loads through California’s logistics corridor, where a single stop can lead to custody even for CDL holders with clean driving records.
Federal officials emphasize safety after fatal crashes and stress that states should not issue commercial licenses to people who should not be behind the wheel. Advocates respond that safety and immigration checks should not be mixed in enforcement, arguing that policy and enforcement choices can have unintended consequences for road safety and supply chains.
Federal authorities in California have detained 87 immigrant truck drivers with valid commercial licenses during intensive sweeps. These operations, justified as safety measures following fatal crashes, have highlighted a conflict between state licensing and federal immigration enforcement. While CBP emphasizes road safety and interior enforcement, advocates warn the crackdown targets legitimate workers like refugees and DACA recipients, threatening the stability of the regional supply chain.
