Border Patrol arrests 36 semi truck drivers as part of ‘Operation Checkmate’

U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents arrested dozens of semi truck drivers for immigration violations as part of a recent operation in Arizona.

USBP agents from the Yuma Sector took part in “Operation Checkmate” from May 11 — 15, 2026.

Operation Checkmate focused on “enforcement of immigration statutes aimed at the detection and arrest of illegal aliens operating commercial motor vehicles.”

As part of the detail, a total of 52 arrests were made, including 36 people driving semi trucks.

USBP said that the 3 of the 36 semi truck drivers did not have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or a driver’s license of any kind.

Twenty-nine of the arrested truck drivers had a CDL from states such as California, New York, Washington, and Virginia.

“Thirty of the individuals were from India, while the remaining six were from Mexico, El Salvador, and Russia. Most subjects possessed Employment Authorization Documents, which were obtained during the Biden administration and are no longer valid. All individuals were processed in accordance with federal law and will be deported,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a June 1 news release detailing the USBP operation.

“Operation Checkmate reflects our commitment to safeguarding communities and roads from unlawfully present drivers who pose significant risks to public safety,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Yuma Sector Dustin W. Caudle. “My agents are on patrol every day to ensure we stop these individuals and prevent more deadly crashes from occurring on the road across the United States.”