13,000 migrant truck drivers lose commercial licenses under federal mandate
Nov 12, 2025·Location: CA

California revoked approximately 13,000 commercial driver's licenses for migrant drivers after the Trump administration required the state to cancel licenses whose expiration dates exceeded drivers' legal status end dates. The federal government has banned the DMV from processing new commercial license applications, though affected drivers may apply for standard Class C licenses. Civil rights groups challenged the cancellations, but the U.S. Court of Appeals rejected an emergency request to pause the revocations effective March 6, 2026.
Sources
- California DMV cancels licenses for 13,000 immigrant truck drivers under federal mandate
- California plans to revoke 17,000 commercial driver's licenses given to immigrants
NPR·Nov 13, 2025·archived copy
- Judge Says California Must Allow 20,000 Immigrant Drivers to Reapply for Commercial Licenses
- Advocates Worry California Immigrant Truckers Still Face Uncertainty After License Debacle
Related incidents
- Vietnamese UC Irvine student and dancer detained by ICE at LAX before flightSep 25, 2026 · Los Angeles, CA
- Utah student held six months in Louisiana ICE facility without hearingSep 24, 2026 · UT
- US citizen construction worker detained repeatedly by ICE despite valid Alabama ID, sues DHSSep 21, 2026 · Foley, AL
- Venezuelan asylum seeker detained in Puerto Rico wins court order blocking transfer, securing bond hearingSep 17, 2026 · Guaynabo, PR
- Ukrainian barista released after seven weeks in ICE detention following viral SFO arrestSep 17, 2026 · San Francisco, CA
- Argentine soccer player detained by ICE at airport, released after 3 weeks in custodySep 13, 2026 · Miami, FL