The Trump administration has implemented strict limitations on who can obtain commercial drivers’ licenses, responding to a concerning series of accidents involving foreign truck drivers.
The Department of Transport (DOT) has now mandated that non-citizens can only hold non-dominant commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) if they meet tougher standards. This change comes after federal audits revealed a troubling trend in states where these licenses were reportedly issued illegally. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy made the announcement on Friday, indicating that starting soon, non-citizens will face stricter requirements for these licenses.
“What our investigations have uncovered should disturb everyone,” Duffy stated. “We’ve seen licenses granted for operating large trucks to unsafe foreign drivers.”
“This is undeniably a danger for all families using the roads, and I’m against it,” he added. “Today’s actions make it harder for risky foreign drivers to renew their licenses while holding states accountable by invalidating any improperly issued licenses.”
The DOT announced that to obtain a non-dominant CDL, non-citizens must now pass a federal immigration status check and secure an employment-based visa. This new rule notably doesn’t target legal permanent residents, but aims to reduce the number of illegal immigrants who have gained CDLs despite having limited English proficiency, which poses a significant threat to highway safety.
Non-dominant CDLs are primarily granted by state governments to individuals who are not residents of that state, often foreigners. The term mainly refers to those who lack American citizenship or permanent residency.
Concerns about safety were heightened after incidents attributed to illegal immigrant truck drivers. For instance, in one tragic event in Florida, an illegal immigrant truck driver from India was involved in a crash that resulted in three fatalities after making an illegal U-turn. Similarly, in Maine, illegal immigrants driving box trucks fell off the road, sending two passengers to the hospital.
In each case, the drivers reportedly struggled with English. In the Florida incident, the driver, Harjinder Singh, reportedly only answered two questions correctly in a 12-question oral English test.
Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security highlighted an incident involving an illegal immigrant truck driver who caused multiple accidents in California in June 2024. Like Singh, this driver was also an Indian citizen who had obtained their CDL through California officials.
In light of these accidents, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Agency (FMCSA) undertook a nationwide audit. Duffy noted that ongoing investigations have revealed patterns of state officials improperly granting licenses to foreign drivers.
In California, over 25% of the non-dominant CDLs examined in the audit were flagged as wrongly issued, with some licenses improperly extended for four years. One case involved Brazilian citizens receiving a CDL to drive school buses even after their authorized stay had expired.
“The irresponsibility in California is frankly appalling and a disgrace to the many Americans who expect to be kept safe,” Duffy remarked. “California needs to take action immediately, or we will have to withdraw millions in funding.”
Duffy emphasized that California should halt the issuance of non-dominant CDLs and identify all valid licenses that fail to comply with FMCSA regulations, giving the state 30 days to comply to avoid losing $160 million in federal funds—an amount that would double in the following year.
“We’ll also be examining other states and will revoke any improperly issued CDLs,” Duffy said. “We owe it to Americans to ensure that only qualified and legal drivers are on our highways.”
The trucking industry seems to support these measures, which are viewed as steps toward making American highways safer. The president of the American Truck Transport Association, which includes over 37,000 carriers and suppliers nationwide, issued a statement on Friday backing the DOT’s actions. He emphasized that regulations are only effective when they are consistently enforced, stressing the importance of adherence to federal guidelines by all state driver licensing agencies.
