US Cracks Down On Commercial Trucking: 28,000 Migrant Licenses Revoked

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC-The Trump administration has cancelled more than 28,000 commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) that it says were improperly issued to undocumented immigrants, tightening enforcement of commercial trucking regulations while introducing stricter eligibility rules for foreign drivers.

The issue came into sharper focus after a fatal truck crash in Florida in August in which an Indian origin driver made an illegal U-turn, killing three people. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the driver should never have been issued a commercial driver’s license. The administration has since highlighted the case while expanding enforcement of existing commercial driver requirements.

According to the US Department of Transportation, nearly 26,000 commercial drivers have already been removed from service for failing to meet English-language proficiency standards enforced since last summer.

The administration’s “Freedom Haulers” programme aims to replace undocumented migrant truck drivers with US military veterans.

“We are removing more and more dangerous foreign drivers off our roads every day and restoring the integrity of America’s trucking industry,” Duffy said. He added that the campaign would encourage more former service members to join the trucking industry.

The administration is also seeking to withhold millions of dollars in federal highway funding from California and New York, alleging they failed to revoke additional commercial licenses. The dispute is before the courts, while Pennsylvania, Minnesota and North Carolina have also been warned they could face similar funding cuts.

For foreign nationals, including Indians, commercial driver’s licenses will now be available only to immigrants holding valid H-2A, H-2B or E-2 visas.