Noem confirms arrests of over 200 illegal migrants, warns foreign truck drivers 'days are numbered'

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday confirmed that authorities have arrested over 200 allegedly illegal migrants in Indiana, including nearly 150 truck drivers who are in the country illegally.

The arrests and efforts to remove illegal migrant truck drivers come after illegal migrant Harjinder Singh was allegedly responsible for a fatal crash in Florida earlier this year that killed three people. He received his commercial driver's license (CDL) from California, despite previously failing the test 10 times.

The apprehensions were part of Operation Midway Blitz, which the Trump administration launched last month in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run allegedly caused by an illegal migrant from Guatemala.

"If you are here driving on our streets and highways illegally, you are endangering our citizens, and your days are numbered," Noem said in a news conference. "Too many families across this country have felt pain, been victimized, and lost loved ones because of these illegal drivers."

A total of 223 illegal migrants were arrested during the operation, including 146 truck drivers, acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Todd Lyons said, per Fox News. Many of the drivers allegedly have criminal histories involving drug trafficking, assault and battery, drunk driving, child abuse, rape, domestic violence, fraud and prostitution.

"We don’t want any of these individuals on our roads or in our communities, and we especially don’t want them behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler when they can’t speak our language, don’t understand our laws, can’t follow roadway signs, and can’t interact with law enforcement or our citizens," Noem said.

The secretary added that many of the migrants obtained their licenses in other states, and the majority received them from sanctuary jurisdictions in California, Illinois and New York.

In addition to Indiana, Noem said more than 250 illegal migrant truck drivers were arrested in a similar operation in Oklahoma.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.