California Driver’s License Policy Under Fire After Migrant Arrested With $3 Million in Stolen Goods

A California-issued commercial driver’s license allowed an undocumented Indian migrant to transport nearly $3 million worth of stolen tungsten oxide powder before his arrest, sparking renewed criticism of the state's licensing policies.

Rajinder Kumar, 31, of Fresno, California, was arrested after being found with 10 pallets of stolen tungsten oxide powder valued at $2,857,500. The shipment belonged to Mitsubishi Materials Corporation and was scheduled for pickup on June 24. Company officials reported the driver missing on June 26 after they could no longer reach him.

Investigators tracked the truck the following day using a Flock camera system. According to the arrest record, Kumar presented officers with an invalid work visa, a fraudulent New York State license, and a valid California driver’s license. He was arrested on theft charges and subsequently transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in McFarland, California.

The tungsten oxide powder is a component used in the manufacturing of armor-piercing rounds, ceramics, lasers, optical products, and high-tech windows.

The incident has intensified debate surrounding California's policy, enacted under Governor Gavin Newsom's administration, which permits migrants with federally issued Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) to obtain commercial driver’s licenses. Critics have labeled California a "sanctuary state" for truckers, asserting that the state's decision to convert temporary federal work permits into commercial driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants creates a significant security risk.

This case also comes as federal immigration authorities have been highlighting arrests involving undocumented individuals in California. In a recent statement, the US Border Patrol's El Centro Sector reported the arrest of an undocumented individual from Mexico working as an agricultural laborer in Thermal, California, whose prior charges included rape of a drugged victim, sodomy of a drugged victim, forced assault with a deadly weapon, and witness intimidation.