California Revokes Commercial Driver's Licenses for 17,000 Immigrants

California has announced plans to revoke 17,000 commercial driver's licenses that were previously issued to immigrants. This decision came after state officials discovered that the expiration dates on these licenses extended beyond the legal period that the drivers were authorized to stay in the United States. The state's action follows significant criticism from the Trump administration regarding the practice of granting licenses to individuals residing in the country without legal status. The issue gained national attention in August when a tractor-trailer driver, who was not authorized to be in the U.S., made an illegal U-turn in Florida, resulting in a fatal crash that killed three people.

Scene of the truck accident in Florida that killed 3 people. The driver was not authorized to be in the United States.

Federal and State Responses

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy responded to California's move by stating that revoking these licenses is an admission that the state had acted improperly, even though it had previously defended its licensing standards. Duffy emphasized that after weeks of denying any wrongdoing, California, led by Governor Gavin Newsom, was forced to take corrective action once the improper issuance of licenses was exposed. According to Duffy, this is just the beginning, and his team will continue to ensure that every unauthorized immigrant is removed from operating commercial vehicles such as semitrucks and school buses.

Governor Newsom's office, on the other hand, maintained that all drivers affected by the revocation had valid work authorizations from the federal government. Initially, the office declined to provide specific reasons for the revocations, stating only that state law had been violated. Later, it was clarified that the relevant state law requires commercial driver's licenses to expire on or before the date that the driver's legal status in the U.S. ends, as reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Newsom's spokesperson, Brandon Richards, criticized Secretary Duffy for spreading misinformation in an attempt to advance his political agenda.

Ongoing Safety Concerns

Recent fatal truck crashes in Texas, Alabama, and California involving drivers who were in the country illegally have intensified scrutiny of the licensing process. These incidents have reinforced concerns about the safety implications of issuing commercial licenses to noncitizens without proper verification.

Policy Changes and Enforcement Actions

Secretary Duffy has previously implemented stricter requirements for immigrants seeking commercial driver's licenses. He asserted that California and five other states had improperly issued such licenses to noncitizens; however, California is the only state where enforcement action has been taken so far due to the completion of an audit. Reviews in other states have been delayed by a government shutdown, but the Department of Transportation is urging all states to tighten their licensing standards.

As part of his enforcement measures, Duffy revoked $40 million in federal funding from California, citing the state's failure to enforce English language requirements for commercial drivers. He has also warned that an additional $160 million in funding could be withdrawn if California does not invalidate every improperly issued license and address the concerns raised. The state's current revocation of licenses is part of its efforts to comply with these federal demands.

New Licensing Rules for Immigrants

In September, Secretary Duffy announced new rules that significantly restrict the types of immigrants eligible for commercial driver's licenses. Under these rules, only holders of H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 visas may apply, and states are now required to verify applicants' immigration status through a federal database. Licenses issued under the new rules will be valid for up to one year, or until the visa expires, whichever is sooner.

As a result, only 10,000 of the approximately 200,000 noncitizens currently holding commercial licenses would be eligible under the new criteria. However, these new requirements will not be applied retroactively, meaning that around 190,000 drivers can keep their existing licenses until they reach their renewal dates.

Audit Findings and State Compliance

The stricter rules were not in effect when the 17,000 licenses now being revoked were originally issued. Affected drivers have been notified that their licenses will expire within 60 days. An earlier investigation found that about one quarter of the 145 licenses reviewed in California should not have been issued, including four cases where licenses remained valid even after the drivers' work permits had expired, sometimes by several years.

Governor Newsom's office stated that California followed guidance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding the issuance of commercial licenses to noncitizens.