California has rolled back 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses granted to immigrants. This decision has been the focus of inflammatory controversy and partisan debate over immigration policy and enforcement of state law. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office made the revocations public. They are tied to violations of state law that existed prior to recent rule changes by the Trump Administration.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) granted these licenses in a time when federal standards allowed for more lax guidelines. That changed when the Trump Administration stiffened federal regulations after a nationwide audit of the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses. A sad story from here in Florida set this audit in motion. After an undocumented driver in South Texas made a U-turn, triggering a wreck that killed three people, his immigration status became the focus of local and national headlines.
This week, Governor Newsom’s office explained that nuance. Implicit in the administration’s demands are some very troubling precedents that weren’t in place when the federal government issued the 17,000 licenses. They pointed out that all impacted drivers possessed work authorizations from the federal government. That was the case when their respective licenses were first granted.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said investigations found widespread fraud in the granting of these licenses. He mentioned that a quarter of the 145 licenses audited in California were not appropriate to have been issued.
“After weeks of claiming they did nothing wrong, Gavin Newsom and California have been caught red-handed. Now that we’ve exposed their lies, 17,000 illegally issued trucking licenses are being revoked,” – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy
In turn, Brandon Richards, a spokesman for Governor Newsom responded strongly to Duffy’s assertions. He claimed that Duffy was engaged in clickbaiting opposition research in an attempt to win favor with political compatriots.
“Once again, the Sean ‘Road Rules’ Duffy fails to share the truth — spreading easily disproven falsehoods in a sad and desperate attempt to please his dear leader,” – Brandon Richards
The revocation process is consistent with recent guidance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on the eligibility of noncitizens for state-issued licenses. Under these new rules, only 10,000 noncitizens out of an estimated 200,000 noncitizens currently with commercial licenses would be able to qualify for them.
It requires states to check an applicant’s immigration status. They achieve this by requiring state authorities to verify with a federal database during the licensing process. The licenses will be valid for up to one year, unless an applicant’s visa would expire before that.
If Duffy follows through on this arbitrary standard, he is essentially revoking $40 million in federal funding to California. This decision follows the state’s inability to ensure that truckers comply with English language standards. He’s shown his commitment to pulling another $160 million in federal backing over the wrongfully issued licenses.
California state transportation officials did not immediately respond to questions seeking clarification on the specific reasons for the license revocations. The situation continues to evolve as both state and federal authorities navigate the complexities of immigration law and public safety.
