By Along a stretch of Interstate 40 in western Oklahoma, state troopers and federal immigration agents launched what Governor Kevin Stitt called one of the largest enforcement operations of its kind. The coordinated sweep, known as Operation Guardian, led to the arrest of 125 illegal immigrants driving commercial trucks—many of them operating with licenses obtained in states critics say have turned their licensing bureaus into sanctuaries.
Among the most striking discoveries was a driver whose New York-issued commercial license listed their name as “No Name Given,” a detail Governor Stitt seized upon as evidence of reckless practices beyond Oklahoma’s borders. “If New York wants to hand out CDLs to illegal immigrants with ‘No Name Given,’ that’s on them. The moment they cross into Oklahoma, they answer to our laws,” Stitt declared. “I want to thank our troopers and ICE officials for their hard work. This is about keeping Oklahomans safe.”
If New York wants to hand out CDLs to illegal immigrants with “No Name Given,” that’s on them. The moment they cross into Oklahoma, they answer to our laws.
OHP performed an enforcement action along I-40 and apprehended 125 illegal immigrants.
This is keeping Oklahomans safe. pic.twitter.com/kNspThTk4E
— Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt) September 29, 2025
The arrests swept up individuals from India, Uzbekistan, China, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Mauritania, according to reports. Officials emphasized that many of those detained had been operating heavy trucks despite questionable English proficiency and limited familiarity with U.S. traffic regulations. Stitt’s administration framed the operation as a direct challenge to the “blue state” policy of issuing licenses to those who entered the country illegally.
The problem gained sharper national focus after a deadly August crash in Florida. In that case, Harjinder Singh, an Indian national who crossed the border in 2018, killed three people while attempting an illegal U-turn. Singh had secured commercial licenses in Washington and California even while in active immigration proceedings, underscoring the loopholes that allow unqualified drivers onto American highways.
Three days before Oklahoma’s sweep, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced emergency restrictions on non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits and CDLs after a federal audit uncovered widespread violations. More than a quarter of such licenses in California were improperly granted, he revealed. “What our team has discovered should disturb and anger every American,” Duffy said. “Licenses to operate a massive, 80,000-pound truck are being issued to dangerous foreign drivers—oftentimes illegally. This is a direct threat to the safety of every family on the road, and I won’t stand for it.”
The audit extended blame to Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington, highlighting cases that federal officials described as shocking lapses. One Brazilian driver even retained a valid California license to transport passengers and schoolchildren months after his legal presence expired. Federal investigators tied at least five fatal accidents since January to non-domiciled CDL holders.
By pressing forward with Operation Guardian, Oklahoma placed itself at the forefront of the campaign to restore integrity to commercial licensing. State officials portrayed their crackdown not merely as a local initiative, but as part of a wider effort to resist what they describe as the abdication of responsibility by blue states. The goal, they argued, is straightforward: to ensure that only drivers who meet both federal and state standards take the wheel of America’s largest trucks, and to prevent future tragedies before they unfold on the nation’s highways.
[Read More: Paul Finebaum Looks Toward Washington]
