Two judges, appointed by Democratic administrations, have put a halt to the Trump administration’s efforts aimed at regulating undocumented truck drivers.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued a temporary suspension order regarding non-resident commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) that were not compliant with the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) regulations on Monday. The decision stems from two judges voting in favor of the suspension, while one judge dissented. This ruling enables many undocumented CDL holders to continue driving on U.S. highways for the time being.
“This administrative stay is meant to provide the court sufficient time to evaluate emergency motions for a stay pending review and shouldn’t be interpreted as a judgment on the merits,” the order explains.
Judges Florence Pan and Robert Wilkins, both appointed by Democratic presidents, supported the stay, while Judge Karen Henderson, appointed by President George H.W. Bush, opposed it.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy had enacted strict measures for commercial drivers in September after state officials recognized a troubling trend of unlawfully issuing licenses to foreign drivers.
Under the emergency regulations, undocumented individuals seeking a CDL were required to undergo an immigration status check and obtain an employment visa, with these regulations primarily targeting illegal immigrants — especially those lacking English proficiency who managed to acquire CDLs, which posed a risk on the roads.
The DOT’s rules affect around 200,000 individuals with CDLs who lack a permanent address in the U.S., many of whom are commercial truck drivers without legal status.
Regulations in the trucking industry gained attention after several fatal accidents allegedly involving undocumented drivers with CDs lacking residential addresses.
For instance, in August, Harjinder Singh, an Indian citizen living illegally in the U.S., reportedly made an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike, causing a deadly crash that killed three people. Just a couple of months later, another driver, Jashanpreet Singh, was allegedly involved in a collision off a California highway that also resulted in three fatalities.
A union, historically supportive of Democratic candidates, challenged the emergency order in October, arguing that the Trump administration had not adhered to proper rulemaking processes.
“For the Trump administration, cruelty seems to be the point,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, in a public statement. “This rule is harsh and unjustified, targeting countless legal immigrants who aspire to improve their lives.”
