Fresno Trucker Held by ICE After $2.9M Tungsten Theft Arrest in Pennsylvania
A Fresno commercial truck driver sits in federal immigration custody after Pennsylvania authorities arrested him on charges of stealing nearly $2.9 million worth of industrial tungsten oxide powder during a June shipment.
Deepak Kumar, 31, was arrested in Pennsylvania before being transferred to McFarland, California, where he remains in ICE custody. The case has drawn attention to California’s policy allowing migrants with federal Employment Authorization Documents to obtain commercial driver’s licenses — a policy critics are calling a “dangerous loophole” that turned temporary work permits into trucking credentials for undocumented immigrants.
The material Kumar allegedly transported — 10 pallets of tungsten oxide powder valued at $2,857,500 — has industrial applications in lasers, optical equipment, ceramics, specialized glass, and armor-piercing ammunition. The shipment belonged to Mitsubishi Materials Corporation.
Company officials scheduled the pickup for June 24. When the pickup was delayed by one day and officials could no longer reach the driver on June 26, they reported the missing load. Authorities located the truck the next day using a Flock camera system.
According to the arrest record, Kumar presented three forms of identification: an invalid work visa, a fraudulent New York state license, and a valid California driver’s license. Kumar had legally obtained the California CDL because he possessed a valid federal work permit during Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration.
The Breakdown
- Kumar was arrested in Pennsylvania on theft charges involving $2.9 million worth of tungsten oxide powder
- He was later transferred to ICE custody in McFarland, California, where he remains detained
- The case centers on California’s policy of issuing commercial driver’s licenses to individuals holding federal Employment Authorization Documents (a work permit issued by the federal government), even if their immigration status is otherwise undocumented
- Critics argue California is functioning as a “sanctuary state” for truckers by converting temporary federal work permits into state commercial driving credentials
What This Means for You
This case sits at the intersection of state licensing policy and federal immigration enforcement — two areas where California officials and the current federal administration are openly at odds. The policy allowing CDL issuance to EAD holders was implemented under Gov. Newsom’s administration. For Fresno residents, the question is whether you believe California’s licensing policy creates workforce opportunity or security risk.
What to Watch
The immediate question is whether this case represents routine criminal prosecution or whether it becomes a test case for federal challenges to California’s CDL policy. Longer term, the pattern to watch is whether ICE continues to publicize arrests of individuals who obtained state credentials under California policies the federal government opposes. One online comment on a related Border Patrol social media post said “this is what we voted for,” though that comment was about a different case.
