Study Reveals Immigrant Truck Drivers’ Licensing Issues

Nearly 80% of immigrant truck drivers detained for language barriers were licensed in only ten states, according to a recent study. This research from American Truckers United (ATU) highlights that the violations aren’t confined to known blue states; Texas, Florida, and Ohio also rank high on the list.

The states with the highest to lowest number of violations are Texas, California, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Washington, and Colorado. Collectively, these areas make up 77% of all offenders reported by federal and state authorities.

In more detail, ATU found that the top four states for violations included Texas at 29%, California at 14%, Florida at 10%, and Illinois at 7%.

Interestingly, Florida does not provide commercial truck driving licenses to undocumented immigrants, ensuring that those who do have a CDL in the state are verified by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as legal residents. Meanwhile, Texas has begun the process of revoking CDLs from undocumented drivers. But this initiative is time-consuming.

So far, enforcement agencies have not addressed the claims made about these drivers. ATU noted that some illegal truck drivers might not be facing any consequences yet, as there have been instances where individuals informed of a driving suspension in one state simply relocated to another state and continued operating their vehicles.

It complicates matters further that these suspension orders seem ineffective, since no arrests have been made, trucks haven’t been impounded, and no sanctions have been placed on the companies involved.

Despite this, the DHS has intensified its stance, recently stating on social media, “If you are in this country illegally, you should not have a commercial driver’s license.”

ATU also pointed out that serious highway accidents in recent times have involved truck drivers licensed in only seven states. Out of 15 fatal accidents involving immigrant CDL drivers last year, 11 deaths resulted from drivers with California licenses, six from those holding licenses from Illinois and New York, and three from Ohio license holders. The group noted that these statistics were derived from media reports detailing the immigration status of CDL holders and believe the figure could include even more fatal incidents.