Federal judge slams brakes on Trump admin rule limiting commercial driver’s licenses for immigrants
In a significant ruling, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., has determined that the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) recent restrictions on immigrants obtaining commercial driver’s licenses cannot be enforced. This decision stems from a controversial new rule introduced in September, following a tragic incident in Fort Pierce, Florida, where an illegal immigrant truck driver, Harjinder Singh, was implicated in a crash that resulted in the deaths of three individuals. Singh, who entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2018, faces multiple charges, including vehicular homicide, after allegedly causing a serious accident due to unsafe driving practices. The court’s ruling indicates that the federal government failed to adhere to proper procedural protocols while establishing the new rule and did not provide adequate justification for how it would enhance safety on the roads.
The proposed DOT restrictions would have allowed only immigrants holding specific visa types to acquire commercial licenses, valid for just one year, and mandated immigration status verification through a federal database. Notably, these restrictions would have disqualified approximately 10,000 of the 200,000 current immigrant commercial license holders. However, the court’s ruling means that these drivers can retain their licenses until they naturally expire. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), representing over 150,000 independent truck operators, expressed approval of the court’s decision, emphasizing the importance of maintaining safety standards in the trucking industry. OOIDA president Todd Spencer highlighted the ongoing issues related to the misuse of visa programs and the influx of non-compliant drivers, advocating for more stringent licensing and training standards to ensure that only qualified individuals are allowed behind the wheel.
This ruling also comes amidst broader discussions about the trucking industry’s workforce challenges and the role of immigrant drivers. Data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration indicates that while immigrants hold about 5% of all commercial driver’s licenses, they are responsible for only a fraction—0.2%—of fatal crashes. Furthermore, the case of Singh raised concerns about the validity of immigrant licenses, as audits revealed that many licenses remained valid even after work permits had expired. The DOT’s push to implement stricter licensing requirements, coupled with Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy’s recent announcement to withhold $40 million from California over its non-enforcement of English proficiency tests for truckers, underscores the ongoing tension between safety regulations and immigration policy in the trucking sector. As the industry navigates these complex issues, the court’s ruling may pave the way for a more balanced approach that prioritizes road safety while recognizing the contributions of immigrant drivers.
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A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. ruled on Thursday the
Department of Transportation’s (DOT) restrictions
on immigrants obtaining commercial driver’s licenses cannot be enforced.
The restrictions were announced in September, after an illegal immigrant truck driver was accused of causing a tractor-trailer crash that killed three people in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Harjinder Singh, an Indian citizen who allegedly
illegally entered
the U.S. from Mexico in 2018, pleaded not guilty to three counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of manslaughter after allegedly jackknifing his truck during an illegal U-turn, causing a van to smash into the side of the tractor-trailer.
The court
found the federal government did not follow proper procedure when creating the new rule, or explain how the rule would promote safety.
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Judges also noted Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data shows about 5% of all commercial driver’s licenses belong to immigrants, though they only account for about 0.2% of fatal crashes.
Singh, who received his license in California,
failed his CDL knowledge exam in Washington state 10 times
within two months and failed his air brakes knowledge exam twice, according to the Florida Attorney General’s Office. He also failed an English proficiency test.
An audit of
California records
showed that many immigrants’ licenses remained valid long after their work permits expired, leading the state to revoke 17,000 licenses.
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The new DOT restrictions would allow immigrants who hold three specific classes of visas to obtain commercial licenses valid for one year, and require immigration status to be confirmed via a federal database.
Though the rules would disqualify about 10,000 of the 200,000 current immigrants with commercial licenses, the rules would not be enforced—meaning drivers could keep their licenses until they expire.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), which represents more than 150,000 independent owner-operators, thanked the administration for its efforts to “restore commonsense safety standards” in an Aug. 26 statement.
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“OOIDA applauds the Administration for seeing through the myth of a truck driver shortage and continuing efforts to restore commonsense safety standards on our nation’s highways,” OOIDA president Todd Spencer wrote in a statement. “Pausing visas for
commercial truck drivers
will help ensure only qualified individuals get licensed. Additionally, there is unlikely to be any negative effect on the supply chain, as the trucking industry continues to face overcapacity.”
“The misuse of visa programs along with the rise of non-domiciled CDL holders in recent years has fueled a flood of drivers into our country who struggle to operate safely in full compliance with regulations,” Spencer continued. “We are working with the Administration and Congress on implementing more comprehensive
licensing and training standards
that will prevent unsafe drivers from ever getting behind the wheel.”
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced in October the administration is withholding $40 million from California over its refusal to
enforce English language requirements
for truckers, Fox News Digital previously reported.
To have funding reinstated, the state must ensure state inspectors test truck drivers’ English during roadside inspections, and remove those who fail.
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
