The Trump administration is escalating its efforts to target immigrant truck drivers, with both the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Department requesting licensing data across the U.S. Their focus is on identifying drivers with improper certifications, particularly those unable to pass English language proficiency tests. This crackdown is part of a broader initiative to address what officials describe as fraud and illegal practices within the commercial trucking industry.
As a significant step in this crackdown, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the shutdown of 270 commercial driver's licensing (CDL) schools. Among these, 110 schools were specifically identified and ordered to cease operations immediately for having trained 5,000 enrollees who subsequently failed English language proficiency tests. Duffy, alongside Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, singled out California as a major problem state, stating that many unlawfully issued licenses originated there, as well as in New York and Illinois.
This move follows earlier actions by the administration, where in March, approximately 200,000 immigrants began losing their commercial driver's licenses. These included groups with temporary status, such as DACA recipients, refugees, and asylum seekers. The administration cited 17 fatal trucking accidents in 2025 allegedly caused by noncitizen drivers, though critics argue this represents less than 1% of total fatal crashes involving truckers. The administration has also pushed for stricter penalties for non-English proficient drivers, despite existing proficiency requirements.
Officials, including Duffy, emphasized the danger posed by untrained, non-English speaking drivers in large vehicles on American roads. However, some argue that these measures will reduce the pool of qualified drivers in an already challenging industry. For example, one DACA recipient, who previously owned his own trucks, was forced into a mechanic's job paying less than a third of his former income after losing his license due to these new policies.
Federal standards for commercial driver training exist, but a government review late last year found that over 40% of trucking schools might not be adhering to these regulations. While states issue CDLs, the federal government maintains oversight and sets national standards. The current crackdown aims to tighten administrative procedures to ensure licenses are only issued to individuals meeting all federal requirements, rather than imposing blanket exclusions on documented immigrants.
