Thirty Indian nationals were arrested in Arizona for living in the US illegally and working as commercial truck drivers.
The arrests were made during Operation Checkmate, a federal enforcement drive targeting unlawful commercial vehicle operators.
US authorities said all those arrested will be processed under federal law and deported.
30 Indian Truck Drivers Arrested In US Immigration Crackdown, Face Deportation
Thirty Indian nationals were among 36 commercial truck drivers arrested during a US operation targeting people living in the country illegally and operating heavy vehicles.
Summary
About 30 Indian nationals found to be living in the United States illegally and working as commercial truck drivers have been arrested in a federal enforcement operation in Arizona and will be deported, according to PTI.
The arrests were part of ‘Operation Checkmate’, a US Customs and Border Protection initiative focused on identifying and detaining people unlawfully present in the country who are operating commercial motor vehicles. Authorities say the operation is intended to improve public safety through the enforcement of immigration laws and the removal of unqualified drivers from US roads.
In a statement issued on Monday, the US Customs and Border Protection said Border Patrol agents from the Yuma Sector arrested 52 individuals during the operation, which was conducted between May 11 and May 15. Of those, 36 were found to be driving semi-trucks, PTI reported.
Among the 36 truck drivers arrested, 30 were from India, while the remaining six were from Mexico, El Salvador and Russia. The drivers held commercial driver’s licences issued by states including California, New York, Washington and Virginia, although some did not possess any form of driving licence.
Most of those arrested possessed employment authorisation documents obtained during the Joe Biden administration, but the documents were no longer valid, according to PTI. All were processed in accordance with federal law and will be deported.
“Operation Checkmate reflects our commitment to safeguarding communities and roads from unlawfully present drivers who pose significant risks to public safety,” Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the US Border Patrol’s Yuma Sector Dustin Caudle said.
Federal agents are on patrol every day to “ensure we stop these individuals and prevent more deadly crashes from occurring on the road across the United States,” he added.
Under the administration of President Donald Trump, the Department of Transportation issued an order to stop unqualified foreign drivers from obtaining licences to drive commercial trucks and buses.
The operation comes amid several recent cases involving Indian-origin truck drivers who have been arrested and charged in connection with fatal crashes while operating commercial vehicles in the United States, a concern authorities have cited in highlighting the public-safety risks associated with unqualified drivers, PTI reported.
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(With inputs from PTI)
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