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ICE Takes Down Dozens of Illegal Alien Truckers in Oklahoma, ‘Can’t Read Basic English’ [WATCH]

Federal immigration authorities arrested 70 illegal aliens during a two-day highway enforcement operation in Oklahoma, including 34 individuals operating commercial trucks without legal authorization, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The coordinated effort, known as “Operation Guardian,” took place in late October along the Interstate 40 corridor. This operation was conducted in partnership with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and marked the second major enforcement action in the state within a month.

This latest crackdown follows the Trump administration’s broader effort targeting illegal alien truck drivers operating under fraudulent or unlawful commercial licenses.

“For the second time in just the past month, the state of Oklahoma and ICE have banded together to bolster public safety along Oklahoma’s highways, identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who are in the country illegally and have been recklessly issued a commercial driver’s license by states like California, Illinois, and New Jersey,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Executive Associate Director Marcos Charles.

“Many of the illegal aliens arrested behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer can’t even read basic English, endangering everyone they encounter on the roads,” Charles added.

ICE reported that out of the illegal alien truck drivers apprehended, 26 had obtained Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) from so-called sanctuary states such as California, Illinois, and New York. Another eight were found driving commercial vehicles without any CDL at all.

Authorities revealed that the drivers and passengers taken into custody included foreign nationals from countries such as China, Guatemala, India, and Uzbekistan. Several detainees had prior convictions for violent crimes and other serious offenses.

ICE credited the success of the operation to Oklahoma’s participation in the federal 287(g) program, which enables local law enforcement to collaborate directly with immigration authorities.

This operation comes just weeks after a similar effort in late September, when ICE and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol arrested over 100 illegal alien truck drivers during a three-day sweep along the same highway corridor. That earlier operation uncovered suspects allegedly involved in crimes including human smuggling, money laundering, conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and illegal reentry into the United States.

The recent focus on illegal alien truck drivers follows a series of deadly highway incidents involving individuals found to be in the country unlawfully and driving without adequate language skills or safety qualifications.

In August, Harjinder Singh, an Indian national living illegally in the U.S., allegedly made an illegal U-turn on a Florida turnpike, blocking all lanes and causing a collision that killed three people after his tractor-trailer crashed.

In another October case, Jashanpreet Singh, also an Indian national unlawfully residing in the country, was accused of driving under the influence of drugs when he crashed into multiple vehicles on a California highway, killing three people.

Investigations revealed that Harjinder Singh did not understand basic English or American traffic signage. Meanwhile, Jashanpreet Singh was able to upgrade his CDL in California just days before the crash, despite emergency Department of Transportation (DOT) rules restricting such approvals.

In response to these incidents, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued new regulations tightening CDL requirements for non-domiciled drivers and enforcing stricter English language proficiency standards for all commercial operators.

Additionally, the Department of Transportation has withheld millions in federal funding from California for allegedly issuing CDLs to illegal aliens in violation of federal law.

ICE officials stated that the Oklahoma operations are part of an ongoing national initiative aimed at identifying illegal alien truck drivers and removing them from the roads to enhance highway safety.
https://www.lifezette.com/2025/11/ice-takes-down-dozens-of-illegal-alien-truckers-in-oklahoma-cant-read-basic-english-watch/

What to know about immigration enforcement raids in Chicago after nearly 2 months

As the Trump administration’s mass deportation raids enter their second month, their impact has been felt across the Chicago region and the nation. Political tensions have deepened, hundreds have been detained or arrested, and thousands have protested—from a two-story brick U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in suburban Broadview to city street corners and suburban downtowns.

Throughout it all, activists, protesters, and journalists have faced tear gas and pepper ball rounds. President Donald Trump’s threats to send in the National Guard—first to quell crime in Chicago, then to assist ICE and Border Patrol agents—have, for the moment, not come to fruition.

Here’s what we know about federal immigration enforcement in and around Chicago, as well as other immigration-related stories and the National Guard deployment.

**Stay current with the latest news by subscribing to the Chicago Tribune and signing up for our free Immigration Bulletin newsletter.**

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### How We Got Here

On September 8, President Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security announced a surge in immigration enforcement in Chicago, dubbing it “Operation Midway Blitz.” The operation targets what officials refer to as “criminal illegal aliens” who have allegedly benefited from the city and state’s sanctuary policies.

This announcement came more than two weeks after Trump said he planned to target Chicago due to its crime rates. In response, Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson warned residents about potential immigration sweeps.

“Let’s be clear, the terror and cruelty is the point, not the safety of anyone living here,” Pritzker said on September 2.

Trump had set the stage for the operation with a social media post showing military helicopters flying over Chicago’s lakefront skyline under the title “Chipocalypse Now.” “Chicago is about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR,” Trump wrote, a day after signing an executive order renaming the Department of Defense to its pre-1949 title.

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### ICE in and Around Chicago

Operation Midway Blitz has been visible throughout Chicago and its suburbs. Incidents have ranged from tear gas deployed in Logan Square and the detention of a mother and child at Millennium Park to a manhunt in suburban Mount Prospect and multiple arrests involving rideshare drivers at O’Hare International Airport.

A federal judge has ruled that all immigration enforcement agents must wear body cameras. The judge expressed particular concern over alleged violations during recent clashes, including an incident on Chicago’s East Side where agents used a controversial and potentially dangerous tactic to disable a fleeing vehicle before deploying tear gas during a tense gathering.

Tear gas usage by federal agents during immigration raids has escalated lately—from neighborhoods like Little Village to Lakeview and Irving Park.

On September 12, the operation took a violent turn when agents fatally shot a man in Franklin Park. The man, identified by federal officials as Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, a 38-year-old Mexican citizen living illegally in the U.S., allegedly tried to flee a traffic stop and struck the officer with his vehicle.

On October 4, federal immigration authorities shot a Chicago woman in Brighton Park, after she allegedly tried to impede them. In the shooting’s aftermath, protesters gathered at the intersection to confront federal forces. Some threw water bottles as agents responded with tear gas and flash-bang grenades.

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### Impact on Local Communities

Gig workers, street vendors, and day laborers have been caught up in the crackdown. Emotional arrests have unfolded in the region, including one where federal agents detained a man outside his Naperville apartment as his young sons watched and cried “Pa, te amo.”

In other cases, a Rogers Park man was fined $130 for not carrying his legal papers during questioning, and an Oak Park attorney arrested near a school described agents pointing guns at him and referencing a “Chiraq Team 2” group chat.

Federal immigration raids have also targeted local businesses and events:
– Swap-O-Rama on the Southwest Side was raided by federal agents.
– Videos of targeted raids in Carpentersville circulated online, including activity near the village hall.
– A flower vendor arrested during the launch of Operation Midway Blitz was deported to Mexico.

Waukegan’s mayor has even stepped in during a Border Patrol arrest to ensure the safety of residents.

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### What’s Happening in Broadview?

The small suburb of Broadview has become a national spotlight due to confrontations between federal agents and protestors at the local ICE processing center. Since the launch of Operation Midway Blitz in early September, protesters have held near-daily demonstrations outside the facility.

Larger crowds—and subsequent arrests—often gather on Fridays and Sundays, sometimes violating Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson’s order that protests only occur between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

A controversial 8-foot-high security fence erected by federal officials outside the facility was torn down on October 14 following a court order. Broadview officials pushed back, deeming the fence “illegally built,” and demanded the Department of Homeland Security remove it.

Residents remain fearful as the ICE center becomes a battleground amid the immigration blitz. Mayor Thompson, who is the first Black woman to lead Broadview, has refused to take “a position of fear” while navigating the national attention.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently indicated that ICE may expand operations in Broadview, stating, “we’re here to stay.”

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### Chicago Takes Action

In Chicago, aldermen and residents are responding in various ways—leading street patrols, sounding whistles to alert communities of enforcement activity, and organizing protests.

“We’ll do everything in our power to make sure that ICE is out of Chicago,” Alderman Michael Rodriguez of Little Village told the Tribune on October 3.

Numerous U.S. citizens and others have reported being detained or questioned, including:
– A 44-year-old U.S. citizen zip-tied and questioned after work at a downtown bar.
– A Rogers Park man fined for not carrying his legal documents during questioning.

If stopped by ICE, here is what you should do to protect yourself.

Local clergy and faith leaders have publicly condemned the crackdown as “antithetical to the Gospel,” while cafes and restaurants across the city have posted signs barring immigration agents.

Community activism continues ward by ward, with faith leaders offering resources, moral support, and solidarity to those affected.

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### The “No Kings” Protests

On October 18, the “Hands Off Chicago” protest at Butler Field in Grant Park drew a large crowd. The sound of whistles—an ominous warning signaling ICE activity in recent weeks—rang out as a sign of solidarity and resistance.

Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed the crowd:

“There are those in this country that have decided, at the behest of this president, to declare war on Chicago and American cities across this country,” Johnson said, eliciting boos from attendees.

“They have clearly decided that they want a rematch of the Civil War. But we are here to stand firm, to stay committed, that we will not bend, we will not bow, we will not cower, we will not submit.”

This demonstration was one of roughly 2,500 similar protests nationwide—another flashpoint in Trump’s ongoing immigration crackdown.

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### Could the National Guard Be Next?

Governor J.B. Pritzker has repeatedly criticized the Trump administration’s plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, arguing that the stated purpose—combating violent crime—is a cover for militarizing Democratic-controlled cities as political payback.

Appearing on ABC’s *This Week* on October 13, Pritzker said the administration’s goal is to “militarize, especially blue cities and blue states.”

On October 17, the Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court for permission to dispatch troops to the Chicago area while an appeal is pending.

However, a federal judge in Chicago extended a restraining order on October 22, barring President Trump from deploying the National Guard in Illinois as officials await a Supreme Court ruling that could decide the case.

Members of the Texas National Guard arrived in the Chicago area on October 7 as part of preparations.

Trump has discussed invoking the two-century-old Insurrection Act—a statutory exception to the Posse Comitatus Act—which would allow U.S. military involvement in law enforcement during a “rebellion” or when enforcing federal law is deemed “impractical.”

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The situation remains fluid as Chicago and its suburbs grapple with the ongoing immigration enforcement surge, community resistance, and the looming possibility of National Guard deployment.

Stay informed with the Chicago Tribune for the latest updates on this critical issue.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/27/chicago-immigration-enforcement-raids/

Man fleeing immigration agents is fatally struck by a vehicle on a Virginia highway

A 24-year-old Honduran man, Josué Castro Rivera, who was fleeing federal immigration agents in Virginia, died on a highway after being struck by a vehicle. His death follows recent incidents in which three other immigrants in Chicago and California were killed during immigration enforcement operations under the Trump administration’s crackdown.

Castro Rivera was headed to a gardening job on Thursday when his vehicle was pulled over by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, according to his brother, Henry Castro. Agents attempted to detain Castro Rivera and the three other passengers in the vehicle. Castro Rivera fled on foot, tried to cross Interstate 264 in Norfolk, and was fatally struck by a passing vehicle, according to state and federal authorities.

Castro Rivera had come to the United States four years ago and was working to send money to his family in Honduras, his brother said. “He had a very good heart,” Henry Castro shared on Sunday.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Castro Rivera’s vehicle was stopped by ICE as part of a “targeted, intelligence-based” operation. Passengers were detained for allegedly living in the country without legal permission. DHS said in a statement that Castro Rivera “resisted heavily and fled,” and died after being hit by a passing vehicle.

Virginia State Police reported that officers responded to a vehicle-pedestrian crash at around 11 a.m. Thursday on eastbound I-264 near the Military Highway interchange. The victim was struck by a 2002 Ford pickup and pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.

Federal authorities and state police referred to the man as Jose, while family members said his name was Josué. Neither DHS nor state police have explained the discrepancy.

Henry Castro called his brother’s death an injustice and is raising funds to transport Josué’s body back to Honduras for the funeral. “He didn’t deserve everything that happened to him,” he said.

DHS blamed Castro Rivera’s death on “a direct result of every politician, activist and reporter who continue to spread propaganda and misinformation about ICE’s mission and ways to avoid detention.”

Similar deaths during immigration operations elsewhere have sparked protests, lawsuits, and calls for investigations amid claims that initial accounts by the Trump administration were misleading.

Last month, in suburban Chicago, federal immigration agents fatally shot a Mexican man during a traffic stop. DHS initially claimed a federal officer was “seriously injured,” but police body camera footage later showed the officer walking around and describing the injuries as minor.

In July, a farmworker died after falling from a greenhouse roof during a chaotic ICE raid at a California cannabis facility. And in August, another man fled from federal agents onto a freeway in California and was fatally struck by a vehicle.

These incidents highlight ongoing concerns about the methods and consequences of immigration enforcement operations in the United States.
https://abc7.com/post/man-fleeing-immigration-agents-is-fatally-struck-vehicle-virginia-highway/18076914/

DOJ tells California officials to back off ‘apparent criminal conspiracy’ to arrest ICE agents: ‘Stand down or face prosecution’

The Justice Department on Thursday warned California officials, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi, issuing a joint statement claiming that California law “prevents federal agents from taking certain actions.”

“While the President may enjoy absolute immunity courtesy of his rogue Supreme Court, those who operate under his orders do not,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Our state and local authorities may arrest federal agents if they break California law and if they are convicted, the President cannot pardon them.”

Pelosi’s office did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/24/us-news/doj-tells-california-officials-to-back-off-apparent-criminal-conspiracy-to-arrest-ice-agents/