California to Revoke 17,000 Commercial Licenses Amid Controversy

Thu Nov 13 2025 01:59:38 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

California's decision to revoke 17,000 commercial driver's licenses for immigrants raises questions about state laws and federal immigration policies, following recent traffic incidents involving illegal drivers.

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the revocation of 17,000 commercial driver's licenses issued to immigrants, prompting discussions about improper licensing amid increased scrutiny from the Trump administration. The state's transportation officials have cited unspecified violations of pre-existing laws, although the exact reasons remain unclear. Critics, including U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, assert that this move indicates California's previous actions may not have complied with federal mandates, especially following fatal accidents involving illegal drivers.

In a major shift, California plans to revoke approximately 17,000 commercial driver's licenses that were issued to immigrants, a move that has garnered attention amid heightened scrutiny by the Trump administration regarding illegal immigrant drivers. Despite the political backdrop, Governor Gavin Newsom maintains that the action was driven by violations of existing state laws, although he has not disclosed specific details.

The Governor's office points out that these licenses were previously issued under state laws that predate the recent tightening of federal regulations, which came after a tragic incident in Florida where an illegal immigrant driver caused a crash resulting in three fatalities.

Recent fatal truck accidents in states like Texas and Alabama raised alarms about the licensure of immigrant drivers. A particularly devastating crash in California last month, involving an illegal immigrant truck driver, resulted in three more deaths, intensifying concerns over the state's licensing protocol.

The California state transportation officials have been slow to respond to requests for clarification regarding the legal framework guiding these license revocations. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has criticized California's earlier defense of its licensing procedures, suggesting that the revocations are a tacit admission of prior errors.

Duffy has previously imposed stricter regulations governing the eligibility of immigrants for commercial driver’s licenses, asserting that California and several other states had mismanaged these licenses. California is now facing repercussions, including the potential loss of federal funding, with Duffy threatening to pull $200 million from the state over compliance issues.

While Newsom's office claims that all revoked licenses were issued to individuals with valid federal work authorizations, critics argue that Duffy's latest actions highlight a larger issue of negligence in California’s oversight of licensure for immigrant drivers.

The new federal regulations, unlike previous ones, create significantly tougher standards for immigrants seeking commercial driver’s licenses. Under this new framework, only a restricted number of visa holders will qualify, making it difficult for noncitizens to maintain their commercial driving privileges.

California's officials insist that the systemic issues highlighted in Duffy's October imposition of new regulations were not applicable at the time the licenses were issued, and thus the drivers affected by the revocation will be notified of their expiring licenses. However, the state is also managing the fallout from these decisions, caught between federal scrutiny and a commitment to immigrant rights.