A joint enforcement initiative between U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Texas Department of Public Safety has led to the permanent disqualification of over 1,000 commercial drivers from holding a CDL due to convictions for smuggling people or narcotics. This aggressive program, known as the Texas Hold’Em Initiative, was launched in 2008 and has since become a cornerstone of border security operations at one of the busiest commercial trade ports in the U.S.—the Laredo crossing.
Under this initiative, any truck driver convicted in federal court of human or drug smuggling in Texas is permanently banned from holding a commercial driver’s license in any U.S. state. As of this fiscal year alone, 141 CDLs have already been revoked. In total, the Laredo Sector CBP has disqualified 1,053 CDL holders—848 due to human smuggling and the remainder for drug trafficking.
What sets Texas apart is a unique provision in its state penal code allowing for this permanent CDL revocation. Even if a driver’s license was issued in another state, a Texas federal conviction ensures the driver will never hold a CDL again. Affected drivers have held licenses from a range of states including California, Georgia, Michigan, and North Carolina.
The stakes are particularly high at the Laredo port of entry, which handles roughly 40% of all commercial U.S.–Mexico trade. Because of this volume, truckers from across the country frequent this crossing, making it a hotspot for criminal organizations seeking to exploit drivers. CBP officials warn that many truckers may not be aware of recruitment attempts at rest areas or truck stops, making educational outreach a critical aspect of the program.
CBP conducts weekly outreach to trucking professionals, freight companies, and customs brokers to raise awareness about the dangers and consequences of smuggling. The agency has also shared proactive safety tips for truckers to avoid becoming unwitting participants in criminal activities. These include verifying load documentation, inspecting vehicles for signs of tampering, and locking all compartments—even when trucks are empty.
The threat is real and evolving. In one case from 2018, two individuals were discovered hidden in a truck’s windjammer thanks to non-intrusive imaging technology. In 2022, a Louisiana truck driver was convicted after transporting 52 undocumented immigrants in a stolen tractor-trailer from Laredo to San Antonio for a $50,000 fee.
The Texas Hold’Em Initiative serves as both a deterrent and a national model for how cross-agency cooperation can uphold security and integrity in commercial trucking. Drivers must remain vigilant—not only to protect their careers, but to help secure the border and prevent exploitation by transnational criminal organizations.
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