ICE Partners with Oklahoma Highway Patrol to Capture 120 illegal aliens, 91 driving with CDL Licenses

OKLAHOMA CITY — From Sept. 22-25, ICE officers joined the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for a three-day special emphasis operation to disrupt criminal activity and threats to public safety along I-40 in western Oklahoma through vigorous traffic enforcement.

OHP made approximately 520 contacts. ICE officers assisted OHP by running records checks on foreign-born nationals that OHP encountered during its normal patrol duties. As a result, 120 illegal aliens were taken into custody for immigration violations, 91 of which were operating a commercial motor vehicle with a commercial driver license, and 27 were arrested from passenger vehicles during routine traffic stops, and two were arrested from a nearby marijuana grow operation.

“ICE’s 287(g) program clearly demonstrates how federal and local law enforcement agencies can work together to make America safe again,” said Madison Sheahan, ICE Deputy Director. “Illegal aliens have no business operating 18 wheelers on America’s highways. Our roads are now safer with these illegal aliens no longer behind the wheel. We encourage more state and local law enforcement to sign 287(g) agreements to help remove public safety threats and receive reimbursement funds available to our law enforcement partners.”

The success of this special emphasis is due to the collaboration between ICE and OHP. Every OHP trooper has completed the process to become credentialed by ICE as a designated immigration officer. Under ICE’s 287g Task Force Model, local law enforcement officers who encounter suspected illegal aliens during their daily activities receive delegated authority to question and arrest those violating immigration law. As shown by this special emphasis, the 287g Task Force Model is a powerful force multiplier, extending the reach of ICE and providing local agencies with a tool to protect their communities.

Details of this Special Emphasis include:

Criminal activity associated with the 120 illegal aliens included prior convictions for:

• Multiple DUI (some individuals have 2 or more)
• Illegal reentry into the US
• Money laundering
• Human smuggling
• Assault
• Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
• Possession of controlled dangerous substance

Illegal aliens operating a commercial motor vehicle with CDL:

• Total arrested – 91
  • Out of status/overstays – 10
  • Illegal entry or humanitarian parole, pending asylum claim, or immigration hearing – 80
  • Final removal order – 1
• Countries of citizenship:
  • Belarus – 1
  • China – 12
  • Georgia – 6
  • India – 39
  • Kazakhstan – 1
  • Kyrgyzstan – 2
  • Mauritania- 1
  • Montenegro – 1
  • Pakistan – 2
  • Russia – 4
  • Tajikistan – 3
  • Türkiye – 3
  • Ukraine – 2
  • Uzbekistan – 13
  • Venezuela – 1

Illegal aliens arrested from passenger vehicles during routine traffic stops:

• Total arrested – 27
  • Illegally entered (no prior immigration record) – 17
  • Prior deportation – 9
    • 6 of the 9 have been deported 2 or more times
  • Initially denied an entry visa, entered illegally – 1

Illegal aliens arrested from nearby marijuana grow:

Countries of citizenship of the non-CDL illegal alien arrests:

• Cuba – 1
• China – 3
• Guatemala – 10
• Mexico – 15
• 23 of these illegal aliens entered between 2020-2024

The states responsible for issuing aliens the CDLs include: