Ask Onix
California revokes 17,000 commercial driver's licenses following federal audit
California officials will cancel 17,000 commercial driver's licenses after an audit revealed they were issued to immigrants no longer authorized to remain in the U.S., the state's Department of Transportation confirmed Thursday. License holders have been notified their credentials will expire within 60 days.
Federal scrutiny intensifies after deadly Florida crash
The move follows an August incident in which an undocumented truck driver killed three people in Florida, prompting the Trump administration to tighten oversight of commercial licensing for non-citizens. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy accused California of "illegally issuing" licenses to "dangerous foreign drivers" and vowed further action to ensure undocumented immigrants are barred from operating commercial vehicles, including school buses and semi-trucks.
"This is just the tip of the iceberg," Duffy stated. "We will continue pressing California to prove every illegal immigrant has been removed from behind the wheel."
Newsom dismisses claims as politically motivated
California Governor Gavin Newsom's office rejected the administration's allegations, asserting the affected drivers held valid federal work authorizations when licensed. Spokesperson Brandon Richards criticized Duffy-referencing his past on MTV's Road Rules-for "spreading easily disproven falsehoods" to align with the administration's agenda.
The licenses in question carried incorrect expiration dates, violating a state law requiring them to align with the holder's legal U.S. status, according to media reports.
New federal rules face legal challenges
In September, Duffy unveiled stricter regulations requiring states to verify applicants' immigration status via federal databases and cap license validity at one year. The Department of Transportation estimated 97% of current "non-domiciled" drivers-approximately 194,000 people-would leave the freight industry under the rules but downplayed the economic impact, citing the nation's 3.8 million commercial drivers.
A federal appeals court temporarily blocked the regulations this week pending a lawsuit filed by a truck driver. Newsom's office noted the rules were not active when the 17,000 licenses were issued.
Broader audits delayed by government shutdown
California is the first state to complete a commercial license audit; reviews in other states have been postponed due to the 43-day government shutdown that ended Wednesday. The state hosts over 130,000 truck drivers-second only to Texas-and is a critical hub for agriculture and the nation's two busiest ports, according to logistics firm Fremont Contract Carriers.
