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ISLAMABAD: US federal authorities have arrested 30 Indian nationals who were found to be living and working illegally in the United States as commercial truck drivers, according to a press release issued by the US Customs and Border Protection on Monday.&nbsp; The arrests were made during &quot;Operation Checkmate,&quot; a federal initiative carried out by US Border Patrol agents in Arizona&rsquo;s Yuma Sector between May 11 and May 15, aimed at enhancing public safety and enforcing immigration and transportation laws. According to the report, a total of 52 people unlawfully present in the United States were arrested during the operation. Of those, 36 were operating semi-trucks at the time of their arrest. Thirty of the truck drivers were Indian nationals, while the remaining six were citizens of Mexico, El Salvador, and Russia. The drivers held commercial driver&#39;s licenses issued by several states, including California, New York, Washington, and Virginia, said the statement. Some individuals did not possess a driver&#39;s license. Most carried employment authorization documents that had been issued during the administration of former President Joe Biden but were no longer valid. US customs said all those arrested were processed under federal immigration laws and will face deportation proceedings. &ldquo;Operation Checkmate reflects our commitment to safeguarding communities and roads from unlawfully present drivers who pose significant risks to public safety,&rdquo; Acting Chief Patrol Agent Dustin Caudle of the US Border Patrol&rsquo;s Yuma Sector said in the statement. Caudle said federal agents continue daily enforcement efforts to identify and remove individuals who are unlawfully operating commercial vehicles across the country. The operation comes amid a broader crackdown on immigration violations under President Donald Trump&rsquo;s administration. The US Department of Transportation recently issued an order to stop unqualified foreign drivers from obtaining licenses to operate commercial trucks and buses.&nbsp; Federal officials have argued that stricter enforcement is necessary to improve highway safety. In recent months, several Indian-origin commercial truck drivers have been arrested and charged in connection with fatal crashes in different parts of the United States, The Hindu reported.

Trucks on American highway - (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

India

During a federal immigration and highway safety enforcement operation, US authorities arrested 30 Indian nationals. They were working as commercial truck drivers while living illegally in the country. They now face deportation proceedings.

Articles tagged with "truck drivers"

30 Indian nationals arrested in US crackdown on illegal commercial truck drivers

30 Indian nationals arrested in US crackdown on illegal commercial truck drivers