Cargo thefts from American trucking companies have skyrocketed, draining millions in goods while the industry grapples with deadly crashes and regulatory scrutiny.
The staggering loss of over $16 million in cargo value in 2023 alone, as reported by the American Transportation Research Institute, underscores a growing crisis, detailed by the Daily Caller. This theft epidemic, paired with horrific highway accidents, has pushed the Trump administration to crack down on lax policies.
Freight thefts jumped from 1,850 incidents in 2022 to nearly 3,000 in 2023, a trend that industry watchers link to unchecked immigration and weak vetting of drivers. The American Trucking Associations noted a 1,500% spike in strategic thefts since early 2021, a figure that demands urgent attention.
Organized Theft Rings Exploit Trucking Vulnerabilities
In San Bernardino County, authorities busted the so-called Singh Organization in October, arresting 12 individuals tied to a multi-year scheme. These suspects allegedly used legitimate trucking firms to bid on contracts, only to steal the shipments they were tasked to deliver, racking up millions in losses.
The Sheriff’s Department explained, “Between March 2021 and June 2025, members of the Singh Organization acquired or fraudulently used legitimate trucking companies to bid on authentic shipping contracts,” before diverting the goods. Such audacity reveals how deeply organized crime has infiltrated an industry struggling to maintain trust.
Similar schemes unfolded elsewhere, including a case in December 2024 where six men, also surnamed Singh, allegedly stole over $590,000 in television sets from an Indiana warehouse. Their operation, complete with forged delivery papers and disabled tracking apps, shows a level of sophistication that mocks the system’s safeguards.
Illegal Immigration Fuels Industry Risks
The surge in thefts aligns with a massive wave of illegal border crossings, with roughly 11 million encounters recorded from February 2021 to December 2024 under the Biden administration. Industry voices argue this influx, coupled with policies like the 2021 Biden-Harris Trucking Action Plan, opened the door to unvetted drivers and heightened risks.
Shannon Everett of American Truckers United told the Daily Caller, “The unprecedented influx of unvetted foreign individuals into our trucking industry has precipitated a national security crisis.” When sanctuary state hubs and illicitly obtained commercial licenses mix, the result is a perfect storm of fraud and theft.
The Trump administration has responded with force, nabbing dozens of illegal migrant truckers in Oklahoma operations during September and October. Deportation efforts and stricter rules signal a push to restore order, though the damage from prior leniency lingers.
Tragic Crashes Compound Industry Woes
Beyond theft, deadly crashes have thrust trucking into the national spotlight, often tied to drivers here unlawfully. Two Indian nationals, Harjinder Singh and Jashanpreet Singh, were involved in separate incidents in August and October, each causing three deaths due to reckless or impaired driving.
These tragedies prompted emergency measures from the Department of Transportation, including tighter English proficiency standards and restrictions on non-domiciled licenses for illegal migrants. A DOT investigation uncovered a “catastrophic pattern” of states improperly issuing these licenses, a failure that endangers every road user.
DOT Secretary Sean Duffy declared, “This is a direct threat to the safety of every family on the road, and I won’t stand for it.” His words capture the urgency of reforming a system that has, for too long, prioritized access over accountability.
Restoring Trust in American Trucking
The dual scourge of cargo theft and deadly accidents reveals an industry at a breaking point, undermined by policies that favored openness over security. It’s time to rebuild with rules that protect both the economy and the public, not just appease progressive ideals.
Even international borders aren’t immune, as Canadian authorities dismantled another Singh-led theft ring in Toronto between December 2024 and January 2025. These patterns suggest a broader network exploiting weak oversight, a problem no nation can ignore.
The path forward demands rigorous vetting, harsh penalties for fraud, and an end to sanctuary policies that shield bad actors. American trucking deserves a reset, one that honors the hardworking drivers who keep our shelves stocked, not the criminals who loot them.
