A federal regulation took effect today, setting in motion the loss of commercial driver's licenses for approximately 200,000 immigrant truck drivers as their current credentials expire. The rule, titled "Restoring Integrity to the Issuance of Non-Domiciled Commercial Drivers Licenses," limits eligibility for non-domiciled CDLs to holders of specific employment-based visas, such as H-2A, H-2B, and E-2.

Existing licenses remain valid until their expiration dates, with the Department of Transportation estimating that most of the affected drivers, about 194,000, will exit the freight market over the next five years during renewals or upgrades. These drivers, who hold roughly 5% of the nation's 3.8 million active interstate CDLs, include asylum seekers, refugees, DACA recipients, Temporary Protected Status holders, and others previously eligible under broader guidelines.

The Trump administration developed the rule amid concerns over road safety and licensing fraud uncovered in 2025 audits by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Nationwide reviews found widespread state non-compliance, with error rates exceeding 25% in California, 53% in New York, and 49% in Texas. Officials cited 17 fatal crashes in 2025 involving non-domiciled CDL holders, resulting in 30 fatalities, and argued that foreign driving records often went unchecked, unlike those for U.S. drivers.

Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced precursor emergency actions in September 2025, stating, “Licenses to operate a massive, 80,000-pound truck are being issued to dangerous foreign drivers, often illegally. This is a direct threat to the safety of every family on the road.” Earlier steps included pausing new work visas for truck drivers in August 2025, following high-profile crashes, and revoking accreditation for nearly 3,000 CDL training centers.

States must now verify applicants' immigration status via the SAVE system, retain documents like unexpired passports and I-94 forms, and rescind noncompliant licenses. Non-compliant states face audits, funding cuts, or CDL program decertification. In California, thousands of immigrant truckers recently lost licenses amid federal pressure, though a court temporarily allowed some to retain them.

The trucking industry, already facing high driver turnover rates of 48% and elevated fuel costs from the war in Iran, warned of potential supply chain disruptions and higher consumer prices. Carriers may incur turnover costs of about $12,800 per driver, though officials noted excess freight capacity since 2022 could ease adjustments.

Legal challenges persist, including lawsuits seeking to block the rule, but it advanced after a court stay was lifted. Separately, President Trump urged Congress in his February 2026 State of the Union to pass the "Dalilah Law," named after a child injured in a 2024 crash involving an undocumented trucker, which would prohibit states from issuing CDLs to illegal immigrants and tie compliance to federal funding.