Federal immigration officials arrested more than 230 illegal aliens during a three-day enforcement operation, including more than 40 individuals holding commercial driver’s licenses.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the results of Operation Guardian earlier this week. Conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) alongside state and local law enforcement agencies, the operation ran from October 26 through October 28.
Texas Department of Public Safety Director Freeman Martin joined Mullin and other federal and state officials at a press conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, announcing the results.
“Operation Guardian proves how federal and local law enforcement can work together to get threats like these off of our roadways and protect the homeland,” Mullin said.
Operation Guardian focused on targeting illegal aliens with unauthorized CDLs and other public safety threats within the trucking industry and is part of a broader federal effort to address concerns surrounding commercial driver licensing and trucking safety.
The participating states were Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Tennessee.
In September, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the removal of 110 commercial driver training providers from the federal registry over English proficiency violations. Texas and Pennsylvania each had 13 physical training locations affected by the action.
The Department of Transportation also reported that it had removed more than 28,000 truckers from the road for failing to meet English proficiency requirements and canceled more than 30,000 licenses, officials said, that had been illegally issued to foreign drivers.
Texas lawmakers have also examined CDL licensing and enforcement.
In August, the Texas Senate Committee on Transportation heard testimony about alleged gaps in commercial driver licensing oversight. Texas Department of Public Safety Major Omar Villarreal told lawmakers that some training schools improperly allowed students to pay additional fees for assistance passing licensing exams.
Villarreal also raised concerns about the recognition of Mexican and Canadian commercial licenses, arguing that the practice had expanded beyond its original purpose of facilitating international freight movement.
From January 20, 2025, through October 28, 2026, ICE reported 4,795 CDL-related arrests nationwide, including 1,233 arrests involving CDL holders.
