Border Patrol joint operations target commercial vehicle violations in Indio

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ)— U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio Station conducted joint commercial vehicle enforcement operations at the Highway 86 checkpoint throughout August and September, working alongside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Authorities say they inspected at least 196 commercial drivers, issued 57 citations for violations involving English-language proficiency, hours-of-service logbooks and vehicle equipment, and placed 27 drivers out of service.

Agents say they also identified two commercial drivers who violated the conditions of their temporary visitor visas through prohibited shipping activities. One was processed accordingly, while the other was processed for voluntary return and had his Border Crossing Card revoked.

Authorities also state the operations resulted in two arrests. A Haitian national was arrested following the revocation of Temporary Protected Status and transferred to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations for further processing. Separately, a U.S. citizen truck driver with an active, extraditable Texas warrant for a parole violation was arrested and transferred to the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office.

The agencies say the joint operations aimed to strengthen commercial vehicle enforcement by addressing immigration, transportation and vehicle safety violations.