The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it removed more than 800 truck drivers during a recent three-day operation involving multiple law enforcement partners. 

The July 28-30 blitz was part of Operation Highway Shield, a joint mission targeting unqualified foreign truck drivers. It included U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Over the course of the three days, law enforcement officers:

• Detained 51 illegal immigrants, including 21 drivers with non-domiciled commercial driver licenses (CDLs) issued by California and New York. 
• Placed 766 unsafe drivers and vehicles out of service.
• Arrested 86 operators for dangerous behavior, including road rage and domestic violence.
• Issued 36 violations for failing English language proficiency tests.
• Recovered nearly $1 millionin stolen cargo.

“With the latest wave of Operation Highway Shield, DHS and our partners at the Department of Transportation have removed more than 800 dangerous truckers from our roadways, including more than 50 illegal aliens and more than 30 drivers who failed English Language Proficiency tests,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. 

“If you continue to illegally operate a big rig – your days on America’s streets are numbered,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. 

This operation was the latest effort by law enforcement partners to crack down on dangerous practices in the trucking industry. Last month, DHS and DOT announced a partnership to investigate fraudulent and illegal practices in CDL schools.