BREAKING: A group of immigrant truck drivers has filed a lawsuit against California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), claiming violations of workers’ rights amid plans to revoke thousands of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). The lawsuit, initiated on November 28, 2023, seeks to protect approximately 20,000 immigrant drivers from losing their livelihoods as the DMV prepares to enforce new federal guidelines requiring proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency.
The DMV initially announced that the revocation of licenses would begin in early 2026, following pressures from federal authorities. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the agency recently halted the issuance of new licenses, further complicating the situation for drivers who depend on their CDLs for their jobs and families.
Plaintiffs argue that administrative errors by the DMV have jeopardized their ability to work, putting their homes, cars, and financial stability at risk. “Many drivers are the main or even sole providers for their families,” the lawsuit states. “The DMV’s actions will result in the loss of their hard-earned careers and impose severe financial and emotional hardships on the drivers and their families.”
The urgency of the situation escalated following a tragic accident involving an illegal immigrant truck driver, Harjinder Singh, who was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide after a deadly incident in August. Singh, who had been unlawfully residing in the U.S. since 2018, received his CDL from California despite failing an English Language Proficiency assessment. The Department of Transportation has since threatened to withdraw $40 million in federal funds to California for ignoring federal language requirements in truck driver licensing.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called out California’s DMV for its role in issuing 17,000 non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses to migrant drivers, a number that has now exceeded 20,000. The affected drivers are being represented by the Sikh Coalition and the Asian Law Caucus, who are asking the Alameda County Superior Court to pause the license cancellations.
As this legal battle unfolds, the implications for the immigrant workforce in California and the trucking industry are profound. The DMV’s actions threaten not only the drivers’ jobs but also the families relying on their incomes. The urgency of this situation cannot be overstated, as thousands of lives hang in the balance.
Stay tuned for updates as this developing story continues to evolve. The rights and livelihoods of thousands are at stake in what could be a significant legal showdown over immigrant labor and licensing practices in California.
