US Revokes Over 28,000 Immigrant Trucking Licences Over English Proficiency Failure, Indian Drivers May Be Hit

Published 5 August 2026 · india

News world US Revokes Over 28,000 Immigrant Trucking Licences Over English Proficiency Failure, Indian Drivers May Be Hit US Revokes Over 28,000 Immigrant Trucking Licences

News world US Revokes Over 28,000 Immigrant Trucking Licences Over English Proficiency Failure, Indian Drivers May Be Hit US Revokes Over 28,000 Immigrant Trucking Licences Over English Proficiency Failure, Indian Drivers May Be Hit Published By, Last Updated: August 05, 2026, 06:59 IST The Trump administration has revoked over 28,000 commercial trucking licences held by immigrant drivers and launched a veteran hiring campaign, which could affect Indian drivers. The Trump administration has revoked more than 28,000 commercial trucking licences issued to immigrant drivers and launched the Freedom Haulers initiative to recruit military veterans, a move that could impact thousands of Indian-origin truckers in the US. (Photo: AFP) The Donald Trump administration has revoked more than 28,000 commercial driver’s licences (CDLs) issued to immigrant truck drivers as part of a sweeping crackdown on non-citizen commercial drivers, while simultaneously launching a nationwide recruitment programme to replace them with US military veterans. The development could significantly affect the Indian-origin trucking community in the United States, particularly drivers from Punjab and Haryana, who constitute a substantial share of the country’s long-haul trucking workforce. Over 28,000 Licences Revoked, English Proficiency At Centre Of Crackdown White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration had cancelled thousands of commercial trucking licences issued to immigrant drivers. According to a TOI report, nearly 24,000 non-citizen CDL holders lost their licences after allegedly failing to meet the federal English language proficiency standards required for operating commercial vehicles.

ALSO READ | H-1B Visa Extensions Could Get Costlier For Employers As US Plans Fee On Renewals In addition, the administration claimed it had worked with states to remove around 9,500 truck-driving schools from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) registry for allegedly failing to meet federal training standards. The Trump administration has described the move as part of its effort to tighten commercial driver regulations and improve highway safety. Freedom Haulers Campaign Targets Military Veterans To fill the resulting gap in the trucking workforce, the administration has launched the ‘Freedom Haulers’ initiative, aimed at recruiting US military veterans into the commercial trucking sector. According to the Associated Press (AP), veterans with experience driving heavy military vehicles will be allowed to bypass the commercial driving skills test required for obtaining a CDL, enabling them to enter the trucking industry more quickly. The programme was formally unveiled by President Donald Trump along with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Veterans Affairs Secretary Douglas A Collins, and Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling. Florida Crash Triggered Tougher Enforcement The stricter enforcement follows a fatal crash in Florida in August 2025, where a truck driver allegedly made an illegal U-turn, killing three people. The US Department of Transportation subsequently began aggressively enforcing long-standing English language proficiency requirements for commercial truck drivers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Indian-origin driver involved in the crash should never have received a commercial driver’s licence.