A new rule from the Trump administration is set to take effect Monday that will prevent many noncitizens from obtaining or renewing commercial driver’s licenses, a change expected [1] to affect roughly 200,000 immigrant truck drivers across the United States.
According to reporting, most of those impacted are currently in the country legally, including asylum seekers, refugees, and recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
Under the rule, existing commercial licenses will remain valid until their expiration dates, but many noncitizens will no longer be eligible to renew them or obtain new ones.
The Department of Transportation adopted the rule following several high-profile crashes involving immigrant truck drivers last summer.
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the federal government had allowed “dangerous foreign drivers” to take advantage of licensing systems.
Officials have also argued that certain noncitizens cannot be fully vetted for their overseas driving histories.
Before the rule change, both citizens and noncitizens were required to complete driving school and pass licensing exams to qualify for commercial driver’s licenses. Noncitizens were also required to have work authorization from the federal government.
The new policy is expected to have a gradual impact on the trucking workforce, as current licenses will remain valid until they expire.
Industry experts said the change will not take effect all at once but will instead phase in over time as drivers reach the end of their licensing periods.
Transportation analysts indicated that the rule is unlikely to cause immediate supply chain disruptions.
However, a smaller pool of eligible drivers could lead to hig
her labor costs for trucking companies, which may eventually be passed on to consumers.
“I have not heard any concerns about labor shortages or significant disruption to the supply chain or transportation industry, but this change will be reflected in the cost of doing business,” Gregory Reed, a transportation attorney who focuses on regulatory issues, said.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data cited by PBS News shows that immigrants currently hold about 5% of all commercial driver’s licenses.
The trucking industry plays a central role in the U.S. economy, with trucks responsible for moving more than 70% of freight nationwide, according to the American Trucking Associations.
The cost pressures facing the industry may increase further as fuel prices fluctuate, particularly in connection with global events such as the ongoing conflict in Iran.
The licensing rule is part of a broader effort by the administration to tighten oversight of immigrant truck drivers.
Federal officials have also stepped up enforcement of English-language requirements for commercial drivers.
In December, the administration moved to revoke certification from nearly 3,000 driver training centers that officials said failed to meet federal standards.
“Bad actors who exploit loopholes in our regulatory systems are putting everyone at risk. This is unacceptable,” said Paul J. Enos, CEO of the Nevada Trucking Association.
“We are focused on solutions and resolute on seeing them implemented.”
The rule has drawn legal challenges from critics, who argue the administration has not demonstrated that the targeted groups are less safe drivers than U.S. citizens.
Wendy Liu, a lawyer with the Public Citizen Litigation Group, is leading a lawsuit seeking to block the policy.
Liu said the administration “has conceded that there’s no empirical relationship between a person’s nation of domicile and safety outcomes.”
The legal challenge remains pending as the rule goes into effect.
Meanwhile, some Republican lawmakers are pushing for additional legislative action. After President Donald Trump urged Congress to further restrict noncitizen access to commercial driver’s licenses, Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., introduced a bill that would immediately revoke licenses for the same group covered under the new rule.
The legislation is currently moving through Congress but has not yet been brought to a vote.