US Operation Highway Shield sweep

In late July 2025, U.S. federal agencies launched Operation Highway Shield, a three‑day enforcement sweep targeting unsafe and unqualified heavy‑vehicle drivers. The operation, coordinated by DHS, DOT, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations, FMCSA and state patrols, removed more than 800 drivers from service, including over 50 undocumented immigrants and dozens 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 many of the drivers were identified as foreign nationals, specific nationalities were not disclosed.

Separately, the Teamsters union filed a lawsuit in California challenging the state DMV’s plan to fast‑track autonomous commercial trucks over 10,000 lb. The union argues the rule change violates procedural law, lacks an economic impact analysis, and threatens the jobs of hundreds of thousands of truck drivers. The lawsuit targets the DMV’s amendment that would allow companies such as Aurora Innovation to expand driverless‑truck operations.

Overall, Operation Highway Shield is presented as part of a broader DHS‑DOT campaign to improve road safety, curb illegal acquisition of commercial driver’s licenses, and address concerns about the impact of autonomous‑vehicle policies on the trucking workforce.