WASHINGTON — In an unprecedented multi-agency sweep targeting fraud within the U.S. road transport industry, the Trump administration announced the emergency shutdown of 110 commercial driver training schools, the launch of nationwide audits, and the creation of a permanent multi-state federal task force on Monday—with Ohio serving as a central hub of the regional crackdown.
The sweeping enforcement action was jointly unveiled by Attorney General Todd Blanche, Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy, Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, and eight federal prosecutors representing Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.
At the centerpiece of the crackdown is the establishment of the Joint Task Force Crossroads of America. The permanent task force integrates federal prosecutors across the four Midwest states alongside agents from the FBI, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), ICE, and the ATF to prosecute criminal networks operating within the trucking sector.
“The safety of America’s roads impacts everyone in the nation,” Attorney General Blanche said. “Foreign nationals and illegal immigrants have exploited the U.S. transportation industry, placing unqualified and inadequately trained drivers who do not speak English on our roads.”
Ohio at the Center of Regional Enforcement
Because major freight routes crisscross Buckeye State highways, Ohio has emerged as a primary focus for both federal prosecutions and roadside enforcement:
- Task Force Leadership: Federal prosecutors from Ohio are partnering directly with neighboring states to lead permanent criminal prosecutions against non-compliant carriers, fraudulent driving schools, and criminal networks.
- Operation Highway Shield Success: Ohio served as a major target zone alongside Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa in a late-summer sweep. The joint operation removed over 800 non-compliant drivers, resulted in 51 immigration detentions, and recovered nearly $1 million in stolen cargo across key shipping corridors.
- Increased Highway Inspections: The crackdown bolsters existing efforts by the Ohio State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement, who are actively enforcing strict federal regulations regarding English language proficiency, valid licensing, and commercial carrier compliance during routine traffic stops and vehicle checkpoints.
Emergency Closures and Multi-State Audits
Nationwide, the Department of Transportation (USDOT) ordered the immediate removal of 110 commercial driver’s license (CDL) training schools from the federal registry. Officials linked those institutions to more than 5,000 drivers who failed mandatory English proficiency evaluations.
In addition to the immediate closures:
- 160+ Additional Schools: Proposed for removal from the federal registry pending review.
- 200+ School Inspections: Conducted simultaneously by DHS across 23 states targeting carriers, driving schools, and employers.
- National Examiner Audit: Initiated by USDOT to review third-party CDL skills testers nationwide.
“Speaking English is essential to operate a commercial motor vehicle,” Transportation Secretary Duffy stated, noting that federal language requirements have existed for decades. “We have schools that know the rule yet still allow non-English speakers to complete training and obtain their license.”
Year-Long Enforcement Campaign Escalates
Monday’s operations mark a major escalation in an enforcement campaign stemming from a June 2025 executive order mandating immediate out-of-service orders for commercial drivers failing language assessments. According to USDOT statistics, officials have removed more than 28,000 drivers nationwide under the directive.
The announcement follows heightened summer enforcement, including an August 6, 2026 arrest by ICE agents in Florida of Cuban national José Carlos Valdivia-Vera, who was operating a commercial vehicle with an expired CDL while under a final order of deportation. Industry analysts estimate that 20,000 to 25,000 Cuban-origin truckers operate nationwide, making the demographic heavily impacted by heightened ICE oversight and strict language enforcement.
Victims Join Officials at White House
Joining federal leaders at Monday’s announcement were Marcus Coleman and his daughter Dalilah, who both suffered traumatic brain injuries and permanent disabilities following a 2024 California crash involving an undocumented truck driver from India.
Scott Brady, Executive Director of the White House Task Force on Fraud Elimination, framed the initiative as a direct correction of previous policy failures.
“The previous administration turned a blind eye to criminal enterprises allowing drivers who couldn’t pass a basic English test to obtain a commercial driver’s license,” Brady declared. “That ends today.”
