Democrat Touts Union Backing Group Defending Illegal Alien Truckers
Democratic congressional candidate Rebecca Cooke accepted an endorsement from AFSCME, a union opposing Trump's crackdown on illegal alien truck drivers in Wisconsin's 3rd District race.
Rebecca Cooke, the Democratic challenger seeking to defeat Republican Representative Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, recently announced her endorsement from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). In her statement, Cooke said she was honored to stand with AFSCME’s membership, according to Breitbart News.
The endorsement signals Cooke’s alignment with AFSCME’s opposition to federal requirements mandating proof of citizenship for industrial positions, including commercial truck driving roles. The union has been campaigning to roll back these verification standards even as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on foreign nationals illegally operating commercial vehicles on American highways.
Federal Enforcement Sweeps Remove Dozens of Illegal Drivers
The endorsement comes amid an ongoing federal campaign to remove illegal alien truck drivers from the nation’s roadways. Earlier this week, U.S. Border Patrol agents in Arizona arrested 36 illegal aliens operating commercial trucks as part of Operation Checkmate.
The operation focused specifically on enforcement of immigration statutes targeting illegal aliens behind the wheel of commercial motor vehicles. In total, 56 illegal aliens were apprehended, with 36 driving semi-trucks without valid commercial licenses. Officials noted that 29 possessed commercial driver’s licenses issued by states including California, New York, Washington, and Virginia.
The arrested individuals included 30 nationals from India, with the remainder from Mexico, El Salvador, and Russia. Most possessed Employment Authorization Documents obtained during the Biden administration that are no longer valid. All subjects were processed under federal law and face deportation.
Dustin W. Caudle, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Yuma Sector, emphasized the public safety imperative behind the operation. He stated that the effort reflects the agency’s commitment to protecting communities from unlawfully present drivers who pose significant risks, and that agents work daily to prevent deadly crashes on roads across the United States.
Rising Death Toll From Illegal Alien Truckers
The federal crackdown follows a disturbing pattern of fatal accidents caused by illegal alien truck drivers. Four Americans were recently killed when a migrant trucker from Kyrgyzstan crashed into their vehicle, as Breitbart News reports. The incident represents just one of several recent fatalities involving foreign semi-truck drivers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed in November that states across the country had potentially illegally issued approximately 194,000 commercial driver’s licenses to foreign migrant truck drivers who failed to meet English language standards established by the Department of Transportation.
Duffy highlighted the safety hazard created when drivers cannot understand English, read road signs, or comprehend American traffic regulations. Last month, he marked the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s executive order on trucking reform by announcing sweeping results: more than 20,000 non-English-proficient drivers removed from service, over 28,000 illegally issued foreign commercial licenses revoked, thousands of fraudulent training schools shut down, and noncompliant states including California and New York brought into compliance through substantial funding penalties.
Democrats Resist Safety Reforms
Despite these safety improvements and enforcement successes, Democrats like Cooke are working to preserve the Biden-era status quo that allowed illegal aliens to operate commercial vehicles on American highways. By accepting the AFSCME endorsement and aligning with the union’s anti-enforcement stance, Cooke positions herself against the reforms that have removed tens of thousands of unqualified and illegal drivers from the roads.
The race for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District will test whether voters prioritize highway safety and immigration enforcement or align with unions seeking to reverse the Trump administration’s trucking industry reforms.
With information from Breitbart News
