Trump Administration Revokes 28,000 Immigrant Trucking Licenses

The Donald Trump administration has cancelled the commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) of more than 28,000 immigrant truckers, citing illegal issuance and a failure to meet English-language proficiency requirements. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the move, noting that federal authorities also worked with states to shut down 9,500 driving schools. The crackdown follows a fatal August 2025 crash in Florida that killed three people.

Concurrent with these revocations, the Trucking Association Executives Council reported that updated federal eligibility requirements will eventually make approximately 194,000 non-domiciled CDL holders—about 97% of current holders—ineligible. Federal agencies have also increased enforcement of cabotage restrictions, resulting in roughly 3,200 visa revocations. To address the resulting labor shortage, the administration launched the "Freedom Haulers" campaign, which allows military veterans to bypass certain skills tests to obtain CDLs more quickly.

Federal authorities are now attempting to withhold highway funding from California and New York over alleged non-compliance, with Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and North Carolina also warned of potential losses. Moving forward, CDLs will only be available to immigrants holding valid H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 visas. The policy is expected to significantly impact Indian immigrants, particularly those from Punjab and Haryana.