WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued new rules severely limiting commercial driver's license (CDL) eligibility for noncitizens, following three deadly crashes this year allegedly caused by immigrant truck drivers.

According to Food Manufacturing, the new regulations restrict CDL eligibility to only three visa categories: H-2A (temporary agricultural workers), H-2B (temporary non-agricultural workers), and E-2 (foreign investors in U.S. businesses). All applicants will now require verification of immigration status through a federal database, and their licenses will expire after one year or upon visa expiration — whichever comes first.

The move comes after a Florida crash in which an undocumented driver reportedly made a U-turn that killed three people. Additional fatal crashes in Texas and Alabama involving noncitizen drivers also drew federal scrutiny. A nationwide CDL audit uncovered improperly issued licenses in multiple states including California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized that $160 million in federal funding could be revoked from California after it was found that 25% of 145 reviewed licenses were wrongly issued, some to drivers whose work permits had long expired. California has 30 days to comply or risk losing funding. Duffy also criticized prior enforcement of English proficiency requirements, saying responses from California, Washington, and New Mexico are still under review.

Industry Support & Backlash

Despite concerns about a driver shortage, Duffy claimed the new rules would not create disruptions, as noncitizen CDLs account for only about 5% of all commercial licenses. Trade groups like the American Trucking Association (ATA) and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) supported the changes, stating that enforcement of existing rules is essential to highway safety.

Jonathan Marques, founder of a New Jersey trucking school, noted that the rule change could raise wages by pushing companies to attract more U.S. workers.

Political & Legal Fallout

The Florida crash on August 12, involving Harjinder Singh, intensified political tensions. Singh, a California resident originally licensed in Washington, allegedly made an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike, resulting in a crash that killed three people in a minivan. Singh now faces vehicular homicide and manslaughter charges and is also being referred to immigration authorities.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office dismissed the Transportation Secretary’s statements, calling him a “former D-list reality star” and defended California’s trucker safety record, which the state says outperforms national and Texas averages.

The new rules do not apply retroactively — meaning about 190,000 of the current 200,000 noncitizen CDL holders will keep their licenses until renewal.