Mississippi sending unauthorized truck drivers to ICE

WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, highlighted efforts by state authorities to curb illegal trucking operations in her region. Speaking on the Senate floor Thursday, she noted that Mississippi is actively working to prevent unlawful drivers from operating commercial vehicles.

Unlike some states that overlook this issue, Mississippi has acted decisively to address misconduct in the trucking industry, Hyde-Smith stated. Over the past three months alone, the state has identified 85 undocumented drivers and referred them to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Mississippi does not issue nondomiciled licenses and enforces English language testing to ensure road safety. While the state is taking these measures, federal cooperation is essential to close existing loopholes and enforce the law nationwide.

As chair of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) Appropriations Subcommittee, Hyde-Smith used her speech to advocate for the FY2026 T-HUD Appropriations bill, which includes provisions formalizing English language requirements for truck drivers.

She expressed concern over the national increase in accidents involving commercial trucks driven by individuals who should not have been behind the wheel, often undocumented immigrants who exploited gaps in the commercial drivers license (CDL) system. These tragic incidents are becoming increasingly frequent, and the root cause is flawed policy, she said.

Hyde-Smith criticized previous administrations for weakening CDL enforcement. Inspectors were instructed to issue citations rather than remove unsafe drivers from the road, a policy choice that has endangered lives. Lax border and oversight policies allowed some states to grant CDLs without proper language or competency verification, she added.

The senator also pushed for legislative measures she co-sponsored, including the Commercial Motor Vehicle English Proficiency Act and the Safer Trucking Act. These bills, part of several recent proposals aimed at tightening CDL rules, would limit license eligibility to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and individuals authorized to work by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Author: Gavin Porter