In the past three months, Indiana authorities have intercepted and prosecuted nearly 300 undocumented migrants holding commercial driver’s licenses, as revealed by a senior aide to Governor Mike Braun.
During a meeting with the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, Tony Ferraro, who advises the governor, shared that the state identified at least 283 unauthorized drivers at truck weigh stations during this period.
“That means we’ve removed more than three illegal drivers from trucks daily,” Ferraro noted, according to a report by the Chicago Tribune.
He emphasized, “Their actions were illegal and against the law. We have taken the necessary steps to enforce the law and prosecute these cases.”
While Ferraro did not specify the exact legal violations, he mentioned that many of these drivers possessed commercial driver’s licenses from states like California and New York. These states have policies that don’t require citizenship for obtaining such licenses.
In a related development from February, New York officials announced a change in policy following directives from the Trump administration, stating that non-citizens would no longer be eligible for commercial driver’s licenses.
But the legality surrounding Indiana’s enforcement is murky.
Federal regulations do require CDL holders to be authorized to work in the US, however, a valid CDL issued by a state that didn’t require citizenship at the time may still permit a driver to legally operate a commercial vehicle, potentially opening up the state to challenges, according to legal experts.
Braun said he remains adamantly committed to traffic safety, which he said includes cracking down on illegal immigrant drivers operating commercial vehicles on Indiana roads.
The governor has also ramped up speed enforcement on state expressways and US Interstate 30, Ferraro said, calling the increased police presence more visible than any other time he’s seen in his 14 years living in the region.
Ferraro said the uptick in patrols on the major roadways serves a dual purpose — ensuring that drivers are not speeding while also giving troopers opportunities to stop and inspect drivers for criminal activity and immigration violations, according to the outlet.
Indiana does not issue any type of driver’s license to illegal immigrants.
It is unclear whether the undocumented drivers are being prosecuted on any state or federal charges or whether they have been handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
