Governor Ivey Launches Sweeping Crackdown on Illegal Trucking Operators Across Alabama

Coordinated ALEA–ICE Strike Force Leads to 82 Detentions, Heightened CMV Inspections, and Major Push to Protect Highway Safety and Legitimate Trucking Businesses

MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Alabama Governor Kay Ivey on Thursday unveiled significant results from a statewide enforcement initiative targeting illegal trucking operators, marking one of the most aggressive crackdowns on commercial motor vehicle violations under her administration. The effort, conducted through a newly strengthened partnership between the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has already led to 82 detentions and hundreds of immigration-status referrals.

The joint enforcement strategy, launched October 27, leverages ALEA’s Motor Carrier Safety Unit (MCSU) alongside ICE personnel embedded within routine and Strike Force commercial vehicle operations. According to state officials, the intensified inspections focused on high-risk rural interstate corridors—areas where commercial traffic volumes are high and crash rates have steadily climbed.

Since the collaboration began, ALEA has referred approximately 242 individuals encountered during Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) inspections for immigration checks. Of those, ICE detained 82 individuals, including 12 drivers with no valid driver license and others operating with out-of-state credentials.

Governor Ivey framed the operations as critical to safeguarding public safety and preserving the integrity of Alabama’s trucking sector.

“Alabama is leading the way when it comes to going after illegal bad actors in trucking,” Ivey said. “We will not look the other way while illegal immigration or unsafe operators threaten the safety of our communities or undermine this vital industry. If you are here illegally and breaking our laws, you will be held accountable.”

ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor echoed the governor’s remarks, emphasizing both the operational impact of the partnership and the administration’s support.

“These results reflect the strength of our ongoing collaboration with ICE and other federal partners,” Taylor said. “Governor Ivey’s leadership has made these high-visibility operations possible, and we remain committed to ensuring that Alabama’s highways remain among the safest in the nation.”

The crackdown has drawn praise from industry leaders who say illegal operators have increasingly strained the state’s trucking ecosystem. Alabama Trucking Association President & CEO Mark Colson said the initiative protects compliant operators who are being undercut by unlicensed or unregulated competitors.

“Alabama’s trucking industry is built on hardworking family businesses and professional drivers who play by the rules,” Colson said. “Illegal operators compromise safety and damage the reputation of a proud industry. Governor Ivey and ALEA’s actions align with the national Trucking Resurgence action plan and represent a major step toward restoring fairness.”

State officials indicated that these enforcement efforts will continue through 2026, with expanded inspections, deeper interagency coordination, and an increased focus on corridors with rising CMV-related crash rates. The Ivey administration says the goal is twofold: strengthen highway safety while ensuring regulatory compliance across a trucking sector that anchors Alabama’s economic infrastructure.

As trucking activity continues to rebound from pandemic-era fluctuations, Alabama is positioning itself as one of the most aggressive states in the Southeast in combatting illegal operators, signaling that immigration and commercial safety enforcement will remain central to its transportation policy.

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-- By James W. Thomas

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