Trump administration cancels immigrant licences of over 28,000 truck drivers; Indians likely to be impacted
The action is part of a wider crackdown on immigrant truck drivers that intensified after an August 2025 crash in Florida, when a truck driver allegedly made an illegal U-turn and killed three people.
- Aug 5, 2026,
- Updated Aug 5, 2026 5:17 PM IST
The Donald Trump-led administration in the United States has cancelled commercial truck driving licences held by more than 28,000 immigrants and launched a new campaign to recruit military veterans as replacements, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday.
According to a press release from the administration, the commercial driver’s licences of 24,000 non-citizens who were found unable to speak or read English proficiently have been cancelled. The administration also said it had worked with states to shut down 9,500 driving schools that helped these truckers get on the road in the US.
The move is expected to affect Indian immigrants in the US, especially drivers from Punjab and Haryana, nearly 130,000 to 150,000 truck drivers in the US come directly from those two states, according to North American Punjabi Truckers Association data.
Crackdown after Florida crash
The action is part of a wider crackdown on immigrant truck drivers that intensified after an August 2025 crash in Florida, when a truck driver allegedly made an illegal U-turn and killed three people.
Following the incident, the US Department of Transportation began strictly enforcing existing English-language rules for truckers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the driver, who was from India, should never have been issued a licence.
READ ALSO: Trump targets undocumented truckers, plans to hire US veterans: What it means for Indians
Since then, 26,000 drivers have been taken off the road for failing to adequately demonstrate English proficiency. The federal government has also tried to withhold millions of dollars in highway funding from California and New York over alleged non-compliance in revoking thousands more licences. That dispute is now before a court. Pennsylvania, Minnesota and North Carolina have also been warned they could lose funding.
“Freedom Haulers” campaign launched
To offset the shortage, the administration has introduced the “Freedom Haulers” campaign, which is designed to help military veterans enter the trucking sector more quickly. The programme will allow veterans who recently drove large military vehicles to skip the required skills test for a commercial driver’s licence, the Associated Press reported.
Trump, Duffy, Veterans Affairs Secretary Douglas A. Collins and acting Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling met veterans at the White House last week to launch the campaign.
“The initiative builds on President Trump’s efforts to clean up America’s roadways, crack down on dangerous foreign drivers, and support American truckers,” the Transportation Department said in a statement.
Duffy added, “Illegal immigrants who can’t speak our language have no business getting behind the wheel of a big rig. Veterans — who have already demonstrated the grit, discipline, and skills to take on this vital task — are the right people for the job.” He said the initiative would help veterans get licences faster and start making real money in record time.
The Donald Trump-led administration in the United States has cancelled commercial truck driving licences held by more than 28,000 immigrants and launched a new campaign to recruit military veterans as replacements, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday.
According to a press release from the administration, the commercial driver’s licences of 24,000 non-citizens who were found unable to speak or read English proficiently have been cancelled. The administration also said it had worked with states to shut down 9,500 driving schools that helped these truckers get on the road in the US.
The move is expected to affect Indian immigrants in the US, especially drivers from Punjab and Haryana, nearly 130,000 to 150,000 truck drivers in the US come directly from those two states, according to North American Punjabi Truckers Association data.
Crackdown after Florida crash
The action is part of a wider crackdown on immigrant truck drivers that intensified after an August 2025 crash in Florida, when a truck driver allegedly made an illegal U-turn and killed three people.
Following the incident, the US Department of Transportation began strictly enforcing existing English-language rules for truckers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the driver, who was from India, should never have been issued a licence.
READ ALSO: Trump targets undocumented truckers, plans to hire US veterans: What it means for Indians
Since then, 26,000 drivers have been taken off the road for failing to adequately demonstrate English proficiency. The federal government has also tried to withhold millions of dollars in highway funding from California and New York over alleged non-compliance in revoking thousands more licences. That dispute is now before a court. Pennsylvania, Minnesota and North Carolina have also been warned they could lose funding.
“Freedom Haulers” campaign launched
To offset the shortage, the administration has introduced the “Freedom Haulers” campaign, which is designed to help military veterans enter the trucking sector more quickly. The programme will allow veterans who recently drove large military vehicles to skip the required skills test for a commercial driver’s licence, the Associated Press reported.
Trump, Duffy, Veterans Affairs Secretary Douglas A. Collins and acting Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling met veterans at the White House last week to launch the campaign.
“The initiative builds on President Trump’s efforts to clean up America’s roadways, crack down on dangerous foreign drivers, and support American truckers,” the Transportation Department said in a statement.
Duffy added, “Illegal immigrants who can’t speak our language have no business getting behind the wheel of a big rig. Veterans — who have already demonstrated the grit, discipline, and skills to take on this vital task — are the right people for the job.” He said the initiative would help veterans get licences faster and start making real money in record time.