ICE Arrests Cuban Illegal Alien in Florida with Expired Commercial Driver’s License

WASHINGTON - The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested a Cuban illegal alien in Florida who had an expired Commercial Driver's License (CDL).

On August 6, HSI Jacksonville arrested Jose Carlos Valdivia-Vera, an illegal alien from Cuba, who had been issued a final order of removal by a Department of Justice (DOJ) Immigration Judge. Valdivia-Vera had a temporary 1-year Commercial Driver's License (CDL) that had expired on June 6.

Jose Carlos Valdivia-Vera, after his arrest by HSI Jacksonville

"Every time an illegal alien is behind the wheel of a semi-truck, they are putting countless American lives in danger," said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. "Thanks to the hard work of the men and women of ICE law enforcement, this criminal illegal alien from Cuba who had a commercial driver's license is off our roadways. He will be removed from our country and will not be able to endanger innocent lives on our streets. We will relentlessly pursue any and all illegal alien truck drivers and the companies that employ them."

Valdivia-Vera illegally entered the United States at an unknown date and location.

This arrest is part of DHS' broader efforts to crack down on fraudulent CDL practices that put American lives in danger. Recent examples include:

• Earlier this month, DHS announced the results of the second wave of Operation Highway Shield, a joint mission in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), targeting unqualified foreign truck drivers across the country. In just a three-day period, the operation removed more than 800 dangerous truckers from America's roads, including 51 illegal aliens.
• In July, DHS and DOT announced a partnership to crack down on fraudulent and illegal practices in CDL schools across the country.
• In October 2025, ICE and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol conducted a three-day operation that arrested 120 illegal aliens on Oklahoma's roads, including 91 who were operating commercial motor vehicles with CDLs.

Some examples of illegal aliens who had been granted CDLs, with devastating impacts for American citizens, include:

Michael Bon, an illegal alien from Haiti, who caused a semi-truck crash that killed a Pennsylvania State Trooper in July 2026. He had been granted a CDL by Massachusetts.

Sukhdev Singh, an illegal alien from India, who caused a crash that left a U.S. citizen hospitalized in Indiana in March 2026. He had been granted a CDL by New York.

Bekzhan Beishekeev, an illegal alien from Kyrgyzstan, who swerved into oncoming traffic and caused a head-on collision that killed four people in Indiana in February 2026. He had been granted a CDL by Pennsylvania.

Gurpreet Singh (left) and Jasveer Singh (right), two illegal aliens from India, arrested in Indiana for smuggling more than 300 pounds of cocaine inside a semi-truck in January 2026. They had both been granted CDLs by California.

Rajinder Kumar, an illegal alien from India, who jackknifed his trailer and caused a crash that killed a newlywed couple in Oregon in November 2025. He had been granted a CDL by California.

Akhror Bozorov, an illegal alien from Uzbekistan, was granted a CDL by Pennsylvania despite being wanted in his country of origin for belonging to a terrorist organization. He was arrested by ICE in November 2025.

Anmol Anmol, an illegal alien from India, had been granted a CDL by New York with the name "No Name Given Anmol." ICE arrested him in October 2025.

Harjinder Singh, an illegal alien from India, made an illegal U-turn on a Florida highway in his tractor-trailer, causing a brutal wreck that killed three people in August 2025. He had been granted a CDL by California.

Partap Singh, an illegal alien from India, drove at an unsafe speed and failed to stop for traffic and a construction zone, causing a crash that seriously injured 5-year-old Dalilah Coleman in California in June 2024. He had been granted a CDL by California.

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