U.S. Border Patrol Arrests 30 Indian Nationals for Illegal Stay, Trucking Violations

U.S. Border Patrol agents have arrested 30 Indian nationals living illegally in the United States for operating semitrucks using commercial driver’s licenses, according to a statement released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The arrests were part of a broader enforcement effort carried out by Border Patrol agents in California’s El Centro Sector. CBP said that a total of 49 undocumented immigrants holding commercial driver’s licenses were apprehended during vehicle stops at immigration checkpoints and through coordinated interagency operations.

U.S. Border Patrol agents conduct immigration enforcement operations in California, leading to the arrest of undocumented commercial truck drivers, including several Indian nationals.

Between November 23 and December 12, authorities intercepted 42 individuals driving semitrucks on interstate highways or passing through immigration checkpoints. Among them, 30 were Indian nationals. The remaining individuals were citizens of El Salvador, China, Eritrea, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Russia, Somalia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

CBP data showed that California had issued 31 of the commercial driver’s licenses involved in the cases, while the rest were issued by states including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

In a separate but related enforcement effort, Border Patrol agents from the Indio Station participated in Operation Highway Sentinel on December 10 and 11. The two-day joint operation was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and involved large-scale inspections in Ontario and Fontana, California.

Operation Highway Sentinel resulted in 45 additional arrests of undocumented individuals holding commercial driver’s licenses. On the first day, agents apprehended two individuals one Indian national and one Tajik national. On the second day, five more were arrested, including four Indian nationals and one Uzbek national.

CBP said the operation specifically targeted commercial trucking companies in California and was launched following a series of fatal highway accidents involving undocumented individuals operating heavy commercial vehicles.

“The purpose of this interagency operation was to enforce immigration laws, safeguard U.S. highways, and uphold regulatory standards in the commercial transportation sector,” CBP said in its statement.

El Centro Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Joseph Remenar said the arrests highlighted broader safety concerns linked to illegal immigration and licensing practices. “The individuals arrested should never have been operating these semitrucks,” he said, adding that state authorities issuing commercial driver’s licenses must also be held accountable when public safety is compromised.

In recent months, several incidents have drawn attention to the risks associated with undocumented drivers operating heavy commercial vehicles. In one such case, Rajinder Kumar, a 32-year-old Indian national, was charged with criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment following a crash that killed two people after their vehicle collided with his semi-truck.

U.S. authorities say enforcement efforts will continue as part of a wider strategy to address immigration violations while ensuring safety on American highways.