Two Immigrant Truck Drivers File Lawsuits Against Federal Government
Two immigrant truck drivers arrested by the Iowa State Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) along Interstate 80 have initiated lawsuits against the federal government. The arrests are part of a broader immigration enforcement initiative known as Operation ICE Wall, which involves stopping commercial truck drivers at weigh stations.
During these operations, state troopers typically pull over drivers who bypass weigh stations, issue citations, and direct them back for inspection. It is at these checkpoints that ICE agents arrest and detain some drivers, leading to federal lawsuits alleging violations of due process rights for the detainees.
In two notable cases, the drivers, hailing from India and Pakistan, were incarcerated in Iowa despite having valid work permits in the United States and pending asylum applications. These incidents highlight the complexities surrounding immigration enforcement and the rights of workers in the trucking industry.
Saeed Abbas, from Port Jefferson Station, New York, entered the United States without authorization in June 2023. He was subsequently released by immigration authorities and granted work authorization in 2024. On March 4, 2026, while traveling through Iowa in a commercial truck with a colleague, Abbas was stopped by the Iowa State Patrol after the driver failed to stop at a weigh station along Interstate 80.
Although Abbas was not driving, officers checked his immigration status and determined he was unauthorized, leading to his detention. He was transferred to the Polk County Jail, a facility that contracts with ICE to house immigration detainees. Abbas now faces an immigration court date set for April 9 and has filed a lawsuit against ICE, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Polk County, claiming violations of his due process rights.
Case of Jagdish Singh Highlights Ongoing Legal Challenges
The second case centers on Jagdish Singh, a 29-year-old truck driver from India who arrived in the U.S. without authorization in September 2019. Initially detained, Singh was later released on a $25,000 bond, granted a work permit, and began the asylum process.
On February 11, 2026, Singh was driving in Iowa when he allegedly failed to stop at a weigh station near Mitchellville. During the subsequent traffic stop, the Iowa State Patrol ticketed him for multiple violations, including bypassing the weigh station. ICE officers then conducted an immigration status check and subsequently arrested Singh, who is now being held in the Hardin County Jail.
Singh’s attorney is contesting his detention, arguing it violates the original bail order from 2019. Although ICE officials assert Singh is held at Hardin County Jail, the lawsuit claims he is actually being detained at Polk County Jail, naming Polk County as a defendant.
On the same day as Singh’s arrest, another driver from India, Suraj Vasal, was detained under similar circumstances. Vasal, who came to the U.S. four years ago seeking asylum, was also stopped by the Iowa State Patrol for not stopping at a weigh station. Like Singh, he was subsequently taken into custody by ICE. Vasal’s legal team is advocating for his immediate release as well.
