Third wave of multiagency operation conducted 1,724 inspections in 48 hours in Arkansas
LITTLE ROCK, AR – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today announced the results of the third wave of Operation Highway Shield, a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)-led, multiagency operation targeting unqualified big rig drivers and criminal activity on American roads.
FMCSA inspectors partnered with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Arkansas Highway Police for a 48-hour operation to crack down on unsafe drivers, hazardous vehicles, and fraudulent practices along Arkansas highways and major freight corridors.
The operation resulted in:
- 393 drivers and vehicles placed out of service
- 183 English Language Proficiency (ELP) violations
- 74 immigration violations referred for federal immigrations enforcement
- 44 criminal arrests
- 1 stolen trailer recovered
“Gone are the days of dangerous-and many times illegal and foreign-drivers putting American lives at risk on our roads. Under the Trump Administration, we are restoring law and order,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “This latest wave of Operation Highway Shield has pulled over 300 dangerous drivers off the road including 183 foreign drivers that couldn’t read road signs. We are not slowing down when it comes to keeping Americans safe on our roads.”
“Every person on the road deserves to get home safely,” said FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs. “When criminal activity and unsafe vehicles creep onto our highways, it puts everyone at risk. Operation Highway Shield is about teaming up with our partners to protect everyday drivers, clear out the bad actors, and make our roads safer for everyone.”
The first wave of Operation Highway Shield resulted in 176 drivers being taken out of service, 54 of which were taken out of service for language deficiencies. Additionally, 35 individuals were arrested on criminal-related charges, and 42 individuals were taken into custody for violating federal immigration laws.
The second wave was conducted in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Ohio, resulting in 51 illegal immigrants detained, 766 unsafe drivers and vehicles placed out of service, 36 English Language Proficiency test violations, and $1 million of stolen cargo recovered.
Additional Information:
In August, USDOT, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud teamed up to launch a historic interagency effort to crack down on fraud in the trucking industry. As part of the crackdown, FMCSA carried out the emergency removal of 110 commercial driver’s license (CDL) schools associated with more than 5,000 drivers who failed English language proficiency tests and put 160 more schools on notice.
Since President Trump issued the Executive Order to restore integrity to the trucking industry in April 2025, Secretary Duffy has:
- Knocked 33,000 drivers out of service who could not speak basic English or read road signs
- Revoked 31,000 illegally issued licenses to unvetted foreign drivers and
- Shut down nearly 10,000 shady driving schools