Akhror Bozorov, a 31-year-old from Uzbekistan, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on November 9 while working as a commercial truck driver in Kansas. Authorities in Uzbekistan had issued a warrant for his arrest in 2022, accusing him of belonging to a terrorist organization and distributing propaganda online that called for jihad and recruited individuals for terrorist activities.

Bozorov was granted a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) in Pennsylvania, where he was living in the Somerton neighborhood of Philadelphia, which has seen an increase in Russian and Arabic residents. His CDL was issued while Governor Josh Shapiro was in office, and he was authorized to work in the U.S. in January 2024 under the Biden administration.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized the Biden administration for allowing Bozorov, described as a wanted terrorist, to operate a commercial vehicle on American highways. She emphasized that individuals with such backgrounds should not be permitted to drive trucks, highlighting concerns about national security.

In Pennsylvania, noncitizens can qualify for driver’s licenses if they provide documentation proving their lawful presence in the U.S. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) reviews immigration documents against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s verification system before issuing licenses. This policy has been a point of contention among state lawmakers, with ongoing debates about the issuance of licenses to undocumented immigrants.

Bozorov entered the U.S. illegally in February 2023 and was initially arrested by Border Patrol but was later released into American communities. His arrest has prompted renewed scrutiny of state policies regarding the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses to immigrants, particularly following a previous incident involving an immigrant truck driver linked to a fatal crash in Florida. A federal appeals court recently ruled against the enforcement of restrictions on immigrants obtaining commercial driver’s licenses, further complicating the issue.