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DMV extends cancellation date of immigrant truckers' licenses
A week after immigrant groups filed a lawsuit, California said Tuesday it will delay the revocations of 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses until March to allow more time to ensure that truckers and bus drivers who legally qualify for the licenses can keep them.
LOS ANGELES - California officials announced Tuesday that they will delay the revocation of 17,000 commercial driver's licenses until March.
What we know:
California originally issued notices to invalidate the licenses following a federal audit that found several compliance issues.
These problems included licenses remaining valid after work authorizations expired and instances where the state failed to prove it had checked a driver's immigration status.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Immigrant truckers sue California DMV over 21,000 commercial license revocations
Currently, immigrants make up approximately 20% of the trucking workforce, though the non-domiciled licenses in question represent about 5% of all commercial licenses nationwide.
The backstory:
The federal government’s focus on this issue intensified following a fatal crash in Florida in August involving an unauthorized truck driver.
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U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has already withheld $40 million in funding from California, citing a failure to enforce English proficiency requirements. While the state previously agreed to revoke the licenses to avoid further financial penalties, this new delay pauses that process.
What they're saying:
Duffy expressed strong opposition to the delay on the social platform X, stating, "California does not have an ‘extension’ to keep breaking the law and putting Americans at risk on the roads."
On the other hand, Mumeeth Kaur, the legal director of the Sikh Coalition, called the delay "an important step towards alleviating the immediate threat that these drivers are facing to their lives and livelihoods."
DMV Director Steve Gordon emphasized the importance of the workforce, noting, "commercial drivers are an important part of our economy — our supply chains don’t move, and our communities don’t stay connected without them."
The other side:
The Sikh Coalition and the Asian Law Caucus filed a class-action lawsuit, arguing that immigrant drivers are being unfairly targeted.
However, trucking trade groups have supported the federal crackdown, praising efforts to remove unqualified drivers or those who cannot meet English proficiency standards from the road.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: California may lose federal funding for not enforcing trucker English rules
What's next:
California must navigate a Jan. 5 deadline to avoid losing an additional $160 million in federal transportation funding.
State officials are currently working to implement reforms that satisfy the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which has blocked the state from issuing new commercial driver's licenses until requirements are met.
The Source: This report is based on official announcements from California state authorities and the Department of Motor Vehicles, as well as public statements and legal filings from the Sikh Coalition and Asian Law Caucus. Information regarding federal funding and enforcement was gathered from public audits, official communications from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and his verified statements on social media.