Nearly 200,000 immigrants are set to lose their commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) in the coming months.
In a policy change that is already facing legal challenges, the Trump administration announced that immigrants here without a permanent status will no longer be able to retain their commercial driver licenses, or obtain new ones. The administration has been trying to create a law limiting commercial drivers for the last several months, stemming from a series of accidents that took place last year where U.S. citizens were harmed by immigrant truck drivers.
Truck driving is a steady, well-paying job that thousands of immigrants across the United States have taken up over the years. The rule that the administration is trying to pass went into effect in mid-March, and has resulted in almost 200,000 immigrants set to lose their employment through commercially driving trucks.
Who is Being Affected?
There are over three million commercial truck drivers in the United States, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that immigrants comprise about 18% of employed drivers. In many states immigrants have been able to obtain commercial driving licenses by showing a valid work permit, rather than proof of permanent immigration status in the United States. The Los Angeles Times reported that at least 46 states operate nondomiciled driver’s license programs, allowing immigrants who are authorized to work in the country to drive commercial vehicles. These drivers include visa holders, refugees, asylees, and DACA recipients.
In fact, many arriving immigrants have even been trained in specialized programs for them to become truck drivers, as so many are needed in the United States. But under this new federal rule, immigrants will have to show proof of permanent status in the United States, such as a green card or proof of citizenship. This means that, if the rule is allowed to stand, almost 200,000 immigrants, people working legally but who are without permanent status, will not be allowed to continue driving commercially.
If I am a Truck Driver, How Soon Will I Lose My License?
According to the Virginia DMV webpage on commercial driver licenses, if you “currently hold a valid limited-duration CDL or CLP issued before September 29, 2025 [you] may continue to drive until the credential’s expiration date. However, if the credential is lost, stolen or damaged, DMV cannot issue a replacement at this time.”
The DMV will not issue any new commercial driver licences at this time without the applicant showing proof of citizenship or permanent residency.
Are There Any Exceptions?
According to the new CDL regulations, the only exceptions for non-permanent immigrants are for temporary agricultural workers with H-2A visas, temporary nonagricultural workers with H-2B visas and investors with E-2 visas.
It remains uncertain how ongoing lawsuits will impact the outcome of this new CDL rule. In the meantime, please review your license’s expiration date to ensure you remain eligible for employment.
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