SACRAMENTO, California: California plans to cancel 17,000 commercial driver's licenses issued to immigrants after discovering that the licenses expired after the dates when the drivers were legally allowed to be in the United States, state officials said this week.
The move comes after intense criticism from the Trump administration over states, including California, granting licenses to people in the country illegally. The issue gained national attention in August, when a truck driver without legal status made an illegal U-turn in Florida, causing a crash that killed three people.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the decision proves California acted improperly, even though the state had previously defended its licensing rules. California began reviewing its commercial licenses after Duffy raised concerns.
"After weeks of denying wrongdoing, California has been caught red-handed. Now 17,000 improperly issued trucking licenses are being revoked," Duffy said, adding that his team would continue pushing the state to remove all unauthorized immigrants from behind the wheel of commercial vehicles.
Governor Gavin Newsom's office said that all drivers who lost their licenses had valid federal work authorization. The state later clarified that the licenses violated a California law requiring them to expire on or before the date the driver's legal status in the U.S. ends.
Newsom's spokesperson, Brandon Richards, accused Duffy of spreading misinformation in an attempt to support Trump.
Recent fatal crashes in Texas, Alabama, and California involving truck drivers without legal status have added to the scrutiny. Duffy has already tightened federal rules, making it much harder for immigrants to qualify for commercial licenses. Under new regulations announced in September, only three types of visa holders — H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 — will be eligible, and states must verify immigration status through a federal database. Licenses will be valid for up to one year or until the visa expires.
These rules were not in effect when California issued the 17,000 licenses, but the drivers have now been told their licenses will expire in 60 days.
Duffy has also penalized California financially, pulling US$40 million in federal funding for allegedly failing to enforce English-language requirements for drivers. He has threatened to withhold another $160 million if the state does not fully address the licensing problems.
Newsom's office maintains that California followed the Department of Homeland Security's guidance when issuing the licenses.
