Officials Blast States Like California For Enabling Unverified Drivers On America’s Highways

Wednesday, October 1, 2025, 3:15 P.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Jennifer Hodges: Englebrook Independent News,

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK.- A sweeping law enforcement crackdown along Interstate 40 in Western Oklahoma has revealed a startling reality: more than 120 illegal immigrants, many of them driving 18-wheelers, were arrested and charged for possessing commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) issued under questionable circumstances.

     The late-September sting, called “Operation Guardian,” was led by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety in partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. Roughly 20 state troopers targeted trucks and passenger vehicles crossing into Oklahoma from Texas, resulting in the detention of around 90 commercial drivers and 30 non-commercial motorists.

     Authorities say a disturbing number of the arrested truckers carried CDLs from states with looser licensing laws, particularly California, which accounted for at least 44 of the confiscated licenses. Even more alarming, one license issued in New York reportedly listed the first and last name as “No Name Given.”

     Governor Kevin Stitt condemned the practice in blistering terms. “This is outrageous,” Stitt said. “When states hand out CDLs to people whose identities can’t even be verified, they put every motorist on our highways in danger. This is not just a paperwork problem — this is a public safety crisis.”

Federal and State Crackdown;

     The Oklahoma Corporation Commission noted that in Fiscal Year 2025, more than 5.6 million heavy trucks entered the state, with nearly 1.4 million of them crossing through the Beckham County Port of Entry, where the operation was primarily centered. Commissioner Brian Bingman said allowing unverified drivers behind the wheel of 80,000-pound rigs is an accident waiting to happen.

          “There are legitimate concerns with illegal immigrants obtaining CDLs in other jurisdictions,” Bingman warned. “Drivers who can’t even read English road signs are a recipe for disaster.”

     The sting comes as the U.S. Department of Transportation imposes emergency restrictions on how states issue CDLs and learner’s permits to non-domiciled applicants, after reports that federal standards were being ignored in some states. Oklahoma’s crackdown is among the first large-scale enforcement actions to highlight the scope of the problem.

A Safety and Security Wake-Up Call;

     State officials argue the incident is more than a licensing issue; it exposes systemic failures that allow individuals without legal status, and in some cases without verifiable identities, to operate massive vehicles on America’s highways.

     Critics of lax licensing laws warn that the combination of illegal immigration and permissive CDL policies could undermine both transportation safety and national security. Governor Stitt and Oklahoma leaders say the arrests prove their point: without tougher enforcement and stricter licensing standards, tragedies are inevitable and will happen.

     Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officials have not disclosed how many of the 120 detainees will face prosecution, but state leaders promised that Oklahoma would continue to press the issue. More coordinated operations are expected in the months ahead.

A National Issue Looming Large;

     What happened in Oklahoma is unlikely to remain confined to one state. With millions of commercial trucks crossing borders nationwide each year, the question of who is behind the wheel, and whether their credentials can be trusted, is fast becoming a national concern. Unless states and federal regulators move in lockstep to close the loopholes, similar operations across the country could expose a crisis that stretches far beyond Oklahoma’s highways.

Editor’s Note;

     This report draws on official statements and reporting from KOCO News 5 (Oklahoma City), Land Line Media, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, and the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. Figures and quotes reflect verified information available as of September 30, 2025.