U.S. Operation Highway Shield Takes 800+ Unqualified Foreign Truck Drivers Off Roads

From July 28 to July 30, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) conducted a joint sweep called Operation Highway Shield. The three‑day effort, carried out with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and state highway patrols, targeted heavy‑vehicle drivers deemed unqualified or unsafe.

The operation removed more than 800 foreign drivers from service, including over 50 undocumented immigrants and 30 drivers who failed English‑language proficiency tests. Authorities detained 51 undocumented individuals, made 86 arrests for dangerous conduct, and seized nearly $1 million in stolen cargo. While officials noted that many of the drivers were from the Dominican Republic, they did not disclose specific nationalities.

Operation Highway Shield is part of a broader DHS‑DOT campaign to improve road safety and curb illegal acquisition of commercial driver’s licenses.