DHS: Operation Guardian led to 230-plus arrests in 15 states, including more than 40 CDL holders
DHS says ICE and state partners ran the three-day operation Oct. 26-28 and announced the results Nov. 2 at a trucking company in Tulsa.
The Department of Homeland Security says a three-day enforcement operation in 15 states led to more than 230 arrests, including more than 40 people who hold commercial driver's licenses.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the results of Operation Guardian on Monday, Nov. 2, at a press conference at the headquarters of Melton Truck Lines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. According to the DHS release, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ran the operation with state and local partners from Oct. 26 to Oct. 28. DHS says it targeted people in the country illegally who held unauthorized CDLs, along with other public safety threats in the trucking industry.
What DHS reported
- More than 230 arrests of people DHS describes as being in the country illegally.
- More than 40 of those arrested were CDL holders.
- Fifteen participating states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.
Mullin was joined in Tulsa by ICE Assistant Director Russell Hott, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Commissioner Tim Tipton, Col. Freeman Martin of the Texas Department of Public Safety and Col. Joe Williams of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, along with Melton Truck Lines executives.
"In just three days, we arrested more than 230 illegal aliens, including over 40 illegal aliens with commercial driver's licenses, across 15 states," Mullin said in the release.
The wider campaign
DHS puts Operation Guardian inside a broader push on CDLs:
- ICE launched Operation Guardrail, a nationwide operation aimed at commercial vehicles operating in violation of U.S. law, on Sept. 25, 2026. As of Oct. 29, DHS says, it has produced 303 arrests.
- From Jan. 20, 2025 to Oct. 28, 2026, ICE reports 4,795 CDL-related arrests nationwide, including 1,233 arrests that involved CDL holders.
What the release does not say
The release does not break down the 230-plus arrests by charge or by type of stop. It does not say how many of the 40-plus CDL holders held a particular type of licence. It also does not announce any change to licensing or inspection rules.
For drivers and carriers, the practical takeaway is steady roadside attention. Keep the CDL, medical certificate and vehicle paperwork current and within reach. Carriers should make sure every driver's qualification file matches what the driver is carrying.