Mykhailo Shekhtman, a 55-year-old Ukrainian trucker fleeing war, was detained in Oklahoma during a routine inspection despite residing legally through a Biden-era humanitarian program. The Trump administration regards many such entries as unlawful, suspending Uniting for Ukraine and considering ending Temporary Protected Status. Multiagency sweeps in Indiana, Oklahoma and Texas have detained hundreds of immigrant truck drivers, including at least a dozen Ukrainians this summer.
Some have been deported to Turkey or sent back to Ukraine's war zone. Shekhtman, detained since February, reports inadequate food and medical care, describing deteriorating health. On Monday, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced a massive operation in Tulsa, where officers across 15 states stopped over 1,000 commercial trucks, arresting about 40 immigrant drivers, including some with serious criminal charges.
The drivers hailed from 19 countries.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing