U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that its 287(g) partnership with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol led to the arrest of 120 illegal aliens during a three-day enforcement operation along Interstate 40, including 91 who were driving commercial vehicles with state-issued CDL licenses.
The special emphasis operation, conducted from Sept. 22–25, targeted criminal activity and threats to public safety on western Oklahoma highways through enhanced traffic enforcement. According to officials, troopers made more than 520 contacts during the operation, while ICE officers conducted records checks on foreign nationals encountered during routine stops. Of those taken into custody, 27 were driving passenger vehicles, and two were arrested near a 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 ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan. “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 Department of Homeland Security said the arrests underscore the effectiveness of the 287(g) Task Force Model, which allows local law enforcement officers to receive delegated authority from ICE to identify and arrest individuals violating immigration law. Every participating Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper has completed training and credentialing to serve as a designated immigration officer.
According to ICE, the 120 arrested individuals include those with prior convictions for DUI, human smuggling, money laundering, assault, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Ninety-one of the suspects were operating commercial trucks, with most having entered the U.S. illegally or overstayed temporary visas.
ICE reported that illegal alien truck drivers held CDL licenses from multiple states, including California (44), New York (14), Pennsylvania (12), Illinois (11), and New Jersey (3)—raising concerns over how states are vetting license applicants. Additional licenses were traced to Florida, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Utah, and Virginia.
The nationalities of the arrested truck drivers included citizens of India (39), Uzbekistan (13), China (12), Georgia (6), and Russia (4), among others. Non-commercial drivers taken into custody came from Mexico, Guatemala, and China, with several having been deported multiple times.
DHS officials said the successful operation highlights Oklahoma’s commitment to cooperating with federal immigration enforcement, contrasting with states that have adopted sanctuary policies. “The results speak for themselves,” one DHS official noted. “When state and federal agencies work together, dangerous individuals are identified, detained, and removed before they can threaten the safety of American drivers.”
ICE said all 120 suspects are now in federal custody pending removal proceedings.
