By Billal RahmanShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberAfter fleeing Russia and obtaining legal authorization to work in the United States, a Florida truck driver has been detained by immigration agents during a routine stop, his wife told Newsweek.
Sergei Tiurkin, 42, was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on October 30 while driving his truck from Florida to Atlanta. The stop occurred near the Church of Christ at 2727 Bouldercrest Rd SE, Atlanta, his wife said.
"Within 30 seconds, his truck was surrounded by five cars of ICE officers," Nataliia Tiurkina, 39, told Newsweek.
"This illegal was issued a Commercial Drivers License (CDL)," a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Newsweek. "To be clear, work authorization does not confer any legal status in this country. The Biden administration first granted Tiurkin work authorization in 2024. Illegal aliens should not be on America’s roads operating 18 wheelers and potentially transporting hazardous materials."
...Tiurkin holds a valid U.S. driver’s license and has no criminal record in the U.S. or Russia, his wife said. She added that he speaks basic, truck-level English, enough to understand simple conversations, but not enough to write in the language.
"My husband hadn't violated any traffic laws; the truck was fully functional and had just been repaired. No tickets were issued," Tiurkina said.
ICE has increased operations targeting commercial truck drivers suspected of being in the country illegally. Enforcement actions under the Trump administration's mass deportation plans, conducted in coordination with state and local authorities, have resulted in dozens of arrests across multiple states. Officials say these operations focus on drivers without proper legal status who hold CDLs.
The federal crackdown comes amid ongoing concerns from Republicans about public safety, licensing integrity, and compliance with immigration law. At the same time, the trucking industry, which is already facing a shortage of drivers, has raised concerns about the potential impact on supply chains and workforce availability. Separately, the U.S. State Department has temporarily paused the issuance of certain work visas for commercial truck drivers, further complicating legal pathways for foreign nationals seeking employment in the sector.
The family fears Tiurkin could be deported to Russia despite their pending asylum case.
The Kremlin has increased mobilization efforts since the invasion of Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government pressuring citizens, especially men of fighting age, into military service. On 22 July 2025, the State Duma introduced a bill for year-round conscription, which is set to take effect on 1 January 2026, if approved by Putin.
The Tiurkin family entered the U.S. through the CBP One app in March 2024 and is currently in the asylum process, with valid work authorization and social security numbers, the family said. DHS told Newsweek that Tiurkin entered the country unlawfully and was released into the U.S. by the Biden administration.
The CBP One app was used by migrants under the Biden administration for scheduling appointments and other border-processing tasks. The app was shut down and rebranded and repurposed as CBP Home by the Trump administration, to allow undocumented migrants to self-deport.
Tiurkina said they were released from the border crossing on March 20, 2024 without their passports, carrying only Form 862 and a court date set for November 16, 2028.
Following his detention in Atlanta last month Tiurkin was initially held in a temporary detention facility for a day and a half before being transferred to FCI Atlanta and later to the Stewart Detention Center. Tiurkina described the conditions there as overcrowded and harsh.
"Upon arrival, they were kept on the cold floor in a small room because there was no rush to accommodate them. It wasn't until the following afternoon that he was placed in a unit, where he also slept on the floor with a mattress and covered with a towel. There aren't enough beds for everyone; my husband describes the place as a lab," Tiurkina said.
"The lights are always on," she said. "Sanitation standards are not observed, no soap is provided, and there are only four toilets for such a huge number of people."
"We can't return to Russia for several reasons because it would jeopardize my safety and the safety of my child," Tiurkina said.
"I am a woman of Ukrainian descent, and in Russia I have already faced pressure, humiliation, and threats because of my nationality. They tried to intimidate me, silence me, and control me."
Tiurkina, a former deputy director at Inditex and Mango with a degree in psychology, said the detention has taken a severe emotional toll on her and son, Lev, who lost his biological mother to cancer.
She said that without his father, he feels "confused and misunderstood."Tiurkina said she is suffering from advanced post-traumatic stress disorder and is suffering regular severe panic attacks.
With their future uncertain and the threat of deportation looming, Tiurkina says her husband’s detention is not just an immigration case, it’s a fight for her family’s survival, one she says they cannot afford to lose.
"We will fight to the bitter end," she said.
"Returning to Russia poses a direct threat to my freedom, safety, and health. I'm afraid that if I return, I won't be able to protect myself and my child. This is a real fear," she added.
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