Trump administration tightens CDLs for foreign drivers
The Trump administration’s Department of Transportation and FMCSA announced tightened rules for non‑domiciled commercial learner’s permits and CDLs — limiting new noncitizen licenses to H‑2A, H‑2B and E‑2 visa holders, requiring states to verify status via the SAVE system, pausing issuance to noncitizens until compliance, and noting only about 10,000 of roughly 200,000 current noncitizen CDL holders would qualify; an FMCSA audit found improperly issued CDLs in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Washington, with California labeled “most egregious” and given 30 days to fix practices or face about $160 million in withheld federal funds. The move was tied to a deadly Aug. 12 Florida crash involving 28‑year‑old trucker Harjinder Singh—whose CDL history includes Washington and California—who has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide after an alleged illegal U‑turn, pleaded not guilty, and is being held without bond.
🔍 Key Facts
- The U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced new eligibility rules tightening issuance of non‑domiciled commercial learner's permits/commercial driver's licenses and requires states to verify noncitizen status using the federal SAVE immigration database.
- Under the new rules, only H‑2A, H‑2B and E‑2 visa holders are eligible for new noncitizen CDLs; licenses for eligible noncitizens would be valid for up to one year (or until visa expiration).
- FMCSA estimates only about 10,000 of roughly 200,000 current noncitizen CDL holders would qualify under the new eligibility criteria.
- All states were ordered to immediately pause issuing commercial licenses to noncitizens until they can comply with the new requirements.
- A federal FMCSA audit found improperly issued CDLs in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Washington; California was singled out as the 'most egregious' case and has 30 days to correct licensing practices or face about $160 million in federal funding cuts in year one.
- The policy change was linked to a Florida crash: 28‑year‑old trucker Harjinder Singh is charged with three counts of vehicular homicide after allegedly making an illegal U‑turn on Aug. 12 on Florida's Turnpike near Fort Pierce, causing a minivan to crash that killed the driver and two passengers.
- Singh waived his first‑appearance hearing, pleaded not guilty, was denied bond and is being held in the St. Lucie County Jail; reporting notes his CDL history (originally issued in Washington, later California) and that his next court date is a pre‑trial docket call on Friday.
📰 Sources (3)
- Identifies the truck driver as 28-year-old Harjinder Singh and reports he waived his first-appearance hearing and entered a not guilty plea.
- Says Singh is being held in the St. Lucie County Jail after bond was denied on three counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations.
- Provides crash specifics: Singh attempted an illegal U-turn on Aug. 12 on Florida's Turnpike near Fort Pierce; a minivan behind the rig couldn't stop and its driver and two passengers were killed.
- Notes Singh's CDL history (issued originally in Washington, later California) and lists the next court date (pre-trial docket call Friday).
- Specifies the only visa classes now eligible for new noncitizen CDLs: H-2A, H-2B and E-2.
- States that only about 10,000 of the roughly 200,000 current noncitizen CDL holders would qualify under the new rules.
- Says licenses for eligible noncitizens would be valid for up to one year (or until visa expiration) and that states must verify status in a federal database (SAVE).
- Lists states where the DOT audit found improperly issued CDLs: California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Washington.
- Reports an immediate pause requirement: all states must stop issuing commercial licenses to noncitizens until they can comply with the new rules.
- DOT/FMCSA announced new eligibility rules for non‑domiciled CLPs/CDLs and a mandatory SAVE system immigration check.
- California was identified by the FMCSA audit as the 'most egregious' case; it has 30 days to fix licensing practices or risk about $160 million in federal funding in year one.
- The policy change is linked to a Florida crash involving Harjinder Singh, a trucker charged with three counts of vehicular homicide after allegedly making an unauthorized U‑turn.