Federal authorities partnered with law enforcement in four states for an operation targeting “illegal, unvetted drivers and unsafe vehicles.” On August 4, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) released results from Operation Highway Shield, which took place July 28 — 30, 2026, in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Ohio. The operation involved state police agencies, inspectors from Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). USDOT said that the purpose of the operation was to crack down on “unqualified foreign drivers operating big rigs across U.S. highways and freight corridors.” Hundreds Of Trucks And Drivers Ordered Off The Road See below for USDOT’s recap of the three-day multi-state effort: - 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 million in stolen cargo. -A previous Operation Highway Shield took place in Florida in March, resulting in 176 drivers being taken out-ofservice, 54 of which were taken out-of-service for language deficiencies. What Are They Saying? “Every life lost from an illegal trucker behind the wheel of a big rig is a completely preventable tragedy – and this administration will not stand for it,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “Our new partnership with DHS builds on President Trump’s progress to secure our roads, eliminate fraud, and restore the integrity of trucking in America. I want to thank Secretary Mullin for collaborating with us on this mission as we continue to crack down on unqualified and unvetted foreign drivers. If you continue to illegally operate a big rig – your days