President Donald Trump’s efforts to tighten restrictions on foreign commercial truck drivers are facing a wave of legal challenges from labor unions, immigrant advocacy organizations and industry groups, even as federal courts have largely affirmed the administration’s policies.
At the center of the dispute are new federal rules limiting commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) for non-domiciled foreign nationals and increasing scrutiny of foreign truck drivers operating on American roads. Administration officials argue the measures are necessary to improve public safety and prevent abuse of the licensing system, while critics insist they unfairly target immigrants and threaten the livelihoods of thousands of drivers.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) began implementing the changes last year after a series of high-profile crashes involving foreign-born commercial drivers. An interim rule issued in September and a final rule released in February tightened eligibility requirements for non-domiciled CDL holders, requiring additional immigration documentation, valid foreign passports and enhanced verification of legal status.
The policy followed an April executive order from Trump directing federal agencies to strengthen commercial driver screening procedures and enforce English-language proficiency requirements for drivers operating large commercial vehicles.
Federal officials say the effort has already produced significant results.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), roadside inspections have resulted in approximately 20,000 English Language Proficiency violations since June 2025. The agency also says a nationwide audit of state licensing programs led to the cancellation of roughly 28,000 improperly issued commercial driver’s licenses.
“We will continue to work hand-in-hand with states to secure the frontline and eliminate vulnerabilities exploited by bad actors,” the FMCSA said in a statement.
One widely publicized case involved a 21-year-old truck driver from India who was arrested after an October highway crash that killed three people and injured four others. Federal investigators later determined that he had received a California-issued CDL despite questions about his eligibility.
Multiple lawsuits have been filed.
A coalition that includes the AFL-CIO, public-sector unions and several individual drivers filed suit in October, arguing that the DOT failed to adequately justify the restrictions and improperly bypassed standard rulemaking procedures. The lawsuit, led by the organization Public Citizen, contends that the regulations will cause significant economic harm to immigrant drivers and their families.
“The harm caused by the Rule is devastating, imminent, and irreparable,” the plaintiffs argued in court filings.
However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit declined to block the policy in May, ruling that challengers were unlikely to succeed on claims that the regulations were arbitrary.
“Rather than branding foreign drivers as uniquely dangerous, the agency seeks instead to ensure that their vetting is no less rigorous than that of drivers domiciled in the United States,” the court wrote.
Another legal challenge brought by the Chinese American Truckers Association sought to halt California’s compliance with the federal rules. The group argued that qualified drivers were being denied opportunities to maintain or upgrade their licenses.
The case was dismissed after a federal judge ruled that the public interest weighed against blocking implementation of the policy.
In California, separate litigation brought by the Sikh Coalition, Asian Law Caucus and other advocacy groups challenged the state’s decision to revoke more than 17,000 licenses affected by the federal regulations. A state court later established a process allowing some drivers to submit additional documentation to preserve their licenses.
The legal battles come as multiple federal agencies expand enforcement efforts.
The Department of State says it now coordinates with the Departments of Transportation, Homeland Security and Labor to conduct additional screening of foreign applicants seeking visas that could lead to commercial driving jobs in the United States.
“The Department of State is thoroughly vetting and applying strict standards to every visa applicant seeking to operate a commercial truck in the United States,” a State Department spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that applicants must demonstrate English proficiency, possess a valid CDL or be eligible to obtain one, and show a history of safe commercial driving.
“We will only issue a visa if the applicant demonstrates the necessary skills, experience, and English language proficiency required to safely operate these vehicles in the United States,” the spokesperson said. “We will not compromise on Americans’ safety.”
The Department of Homeland Security has also increased enforcement activity. According to agency press releases, immigration authorities arrested more than 300 illegal migrant truck drivers and CDL holders across several states between October and December.
As litigation continues, the administration’s regulations remain in effect, marking one of the most significant federal overhauls of commercial driver eligibility requirements in decades.
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