Washington authorities accused of refusing ICE detainer for truck driver involved in pileup
Federal officials are accusing local authorities in the state of Washington of improperly releasing a commercial truck driver who was involved in a multi-vehicle pileup crash earlier this month.
On December 11, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer for truck driver Juan Hernandez-Santos, “local authorities did not honor the ICE detainer due to sanctuary policies, and he was subsequently released from custody.”
Hernandez-Santos is accused of causing a six-vehicle pileup crash on the morning of December 4, 2025, on northbound I-5 in Lacey, Washington.
Shortly after the crash, the Washington State Patrol said that it “looks like the cause of this collision is ‘speeds too fast for conditions’ which caused the semi truck to lose control and jack knife.”
Three people were hospitalized as a result of the crash.
Here's a look at the crash on I-5 NB that has all lanes blocked near Martin Way in @CityofLacey. We expect this to be a lengthy incident. Use alternate routes until we're able to clear the scene. Real time travel info at https://t.co/HUGa1WTJfY pic.twitter.com/ndasvBq9gz
— WSDOT Tacoma (@wsdot_tacoma) December 4, 2025
“According to local reports, state authorities say Hernandez-Santos did not possess a commercial driver’s license (CDL), yet was operating a semi-truck when he caused the pileup,” DHS said.
Hernandez-Santos was arrested following the crash for operating a commercial vehicle without a CDL.
Federal authorities further allege that Hernandez-Santos was present in the U.S. illegally after having been deported to Mexico in 2005 and again in 2006.
“This dangerous illegal alien has a criminal history including multiple DUIs, possessing a controlled substance, and two prior removals from the U.S. He was a walking public safety threat and illegally was driving a massive 18-wheeler when he caused a six-car pile-up involving a school bus on the highway in Washington,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Thankfully, no children were in the bus. This story could have had a very different tragic ending. The sanctuary politicians in Washington failed once again to protect American citizens by refusing to honor our ICE arrest detainer.”
DHS used the Hernandez-Santos case as another example of need for the agency’s recent uptick in enforcement on non-citizen truck drivers:
“In recent months, we’ve seen a disturbing pattern of criminal illegal aliens driving commercial vehicles on American roads, directly threatening public safety and resulting in senseless loss of life.
DHS law enforcement has arrested hundreds of illegal aliens driving commercial vehicles despite having no legal status in the U.S. In October, Secretary Kristi Noem announced that a successful 287(g) operation resulted in the arrest of 146 illegal alien truck drivers. ICE also arrested 91 illegal aliens driving 18-wheelers in Indiana in October.
In November, ICE arrested Akhror Bozorov, a criminal illegal alien from Uzbekistan wanted in his origin country for belonging to a terrorist organization, in Kansas. He was working as a commercial truck driver despite no legal status in the U.S.
In August, ICE lodged an arrest detainer for a criminal illegal alien—Harjinder Singh—following his arrest for three counts of vehicular homicide while driving a semi-truck in Florida.“