The Trump administration reportedly announced a sweeping crackdown Monday on commercial truck driving schools it says have enabled illegal migrants and other unqualified drivers to obtain Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) and operate heavy vehicles on American highways. The Department of Transportation (DOT) is preparing to revoke certification for nearly 3,000 CDL training schools, with another 4,500 warned they may face the same fate.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the administration’s actions mark the beginning of a full-scale effort to dismantle what he called an “illegal trucking chain” allowed to thrive under the Biden administration.
“This administration is cracking down on every link in the illegal trucking chain,” Duffy said. “Under Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg, bad actors were able to game the system and let unqualified drivers flood our roadways. Their negligence endangered every family on America’s roadways, and it ends today.”
The move follows several deadly crashes allegedly involving illegal migrant truck drivers who obtained commercial licenses despite lacking proper training or legal immigration status. One such case involved Harjinder Singh, an Indian national in the country illegally, who allegedly made an unlawful U-turn on a Florida turnpike in August, killing three people instantly. Another Indian national, Jashanpreet Singh, also in the U.S. unlawfully, allegedly caused a massive pileup in California in October that left three dead. In Oregon, Rajinder Kumar — likewise in the country illegally — was arrested in November for allegedly causing a fatal crash and is now wanted by federal immigration authorities.
According to DOT, many CDL schools will lose their certification for manipulating or falsifying student data, failing to meet curriculum standards, refusing to provide required documentation, and other violations uncovered during federal audits. These institutions must immediately notify students that their certification may be revoked and have 30 days to meet federal requirements before being removed from the Training Provider Registry (TPR).
“If you are unwilling to follow the rules, you have no place training America’s commercial drivers. We will not tolerate negligence,” said Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek Barrs.
The administration has also issued emergency rules requiring non-citizens seeking a non-domiciled CDL to undergo a federal immigration status check and hold an employment-based visa — a sharp reversal from Biden-era policies that critics say allowed widespread abuse of the system.
Additionally, the White House is threatening to cut millions in federal highway funds from states that fail to comply with the new requirements, an aggressive tactic meant to force states to overhaul their CDL oversight.
Duffy said the changes are long overdue. “Under President Trump, we are reining in illegal and reckless practices that let poorly trained drivers get behind the wheel of semi-trucks and school buses.”
With the Biden administration’s lax enforcement blamed for a surge of unfit drivers, the Trump administration’s crackdown signals a major shift toward stricter oversight and tougher penalties — all aimed at restoring safety on America’s highways and ensuring only properly trained, legally authorized individuals obtain commercial licenses.
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