The state of California has announced it will revoke 17,000 commercial driver's licences previously issued to immigrants, a move that has ignited a fierce political debate between state and federal officials over immigration policy and public safety.
The Political Dispute
While the Trump administration claims the mass revocation addresses concerns about people in the country illegally operating heavy goods vehicles, California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom strongly disputes this characterisation. His office insists the licences are being withdrawn due to violations of existing state law, though specific details about these violations were not provided.
The controversy escalated when U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy declared that California's action amounted to an admission of improper licensing practices. In response, Duffy's department has already revoked $40 million in federal funding from California, alleging the state failed to enforce English language requirements for truckers. He has threatened to withhold an additional $160 million over the improperly issued licences.
New Federal Rules and Their Impact
The backdrop to this confrontation includes new federal regulations announced by Secretary Duffy in September that severely restrict which immigrants can qualify for a commercial driver's licence. Under the tightened rules, only holders of three specific visa categories—H-2a, H-2b, or E-2 visas—will be eligible.
This change means that of the approximately 200,000 noncitizens currently holding commercial licences in the U.S., only an estimated 10,000 would qualify under the new standards. However, these rules are not being applied retroactively, allowing most current licence holders to keep their credentials until renewal.
Governor Newsom's office was quick to point out that these stringent new federal requirements were not in effect when the 17,000 now-revoked licences were originally issued.
Safety Concerns and the Path Forward
The national debate over commercial licences for immigrants gained urgency following several tragic incidents. A fatal crash in Florida involving a driver in the country illegally, along with serious accidents in Texas, Alabama, and a fiery California collision last month that claimed three lives, have intensified scrutiny on licensing standards.
Secretary Duffy cited an audit revealing that a quarter of the 145 California licences reviewed should not have been issued, including four that remained valid years after the driver's work permit had expired.
Despite the revocations, Governor Newsom's office maintains that every driver affected had valid federal work authorisations at the time their licence was issued, following guidance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The affected drivers have now been notified that their licences will expire within 60 days.
