Illegal Immigrant Convicted of Driving Commercial Truck with Valid New York CDL at California Checkpoint
Border Patrol agents arrested an Indian national who was operating a commercial truck with a valid New York commercial driver’s license (CDL) at an inland checkpoint near Blythe, California. The 25-year-old driver, discovered to be unlawfully present in the U.S., was arrested for alien inadmissibility under 8 USC 1182. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges in immigration enforcement and the contentious debate over allowing illegal immigrants to obtain CDLs.
The arrest comes amid a court battle over the Department of Transportation’s restrictions on illegal immigrants obtaining commercial driver’s licenses. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized a federal court ruling that denied the Trump administration’s request to block illegal immigrants from obtaining CDLs. ‘We’re not going to take this lying down,’ Duffy said on ‘The Ingraham Angle.’ ‘We are going to do all we can to protect the American people.’
The court’s decision followed a legal challenge over the Department of Transportation’s previous attempt to implement restrictions. The federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., ruled that the department failed to follow proper procedure or explain how the rule would promote safety. The court also noted that Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data shows about 5% of all commercial driver’s licenses belong to immigrants, though they account for just 0.2% of fatal crashes.
Duffy attributed much of the blame to the Biden administration, which he claimed allowed millions of illegal immigrants to enter the U.S., grant them work authorizations, and then allow them to seek CDLs. ‘People are dying,’ he stated, expressing frustration over the court’s decision and the perceived risks to American citizens.
Despite the ongoing legal disputes, the arrest of the Indian national serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by immigration enforcement agencies. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of existing policies and the broader implications for both legal and illegal immigrants operating in the U.S. labor market.