Nearly 20,000 Immigrant Truckers Sue California DMV Over License Cancellations
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A class-action lawsuit has been filed against the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on behalf of nearly 20,000 immigrant truckers facing the imminent cancellation of their commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). The suit, brought by the Asian Law Caucus, the Sikh Coalition, and the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, seeks to halt the DMV’s plan to revoke licenses starting January 5, 2026, warning that the cancellations could trigger widespread work stoppages across the state’s vital trucking industry.
According to the complaint, the California DMV sent notices on November 6 to 17,299 immigrant drivers and business owners informing them that their non-domiciled CDLs would be canceled due to an error related to the expiration dates on their licenses. A similar notice was sent in December to an additional 2,700 drivers, with cancellations scheduled for mid-February. The DMV’s action stems from its requirement that CDL expiration dates align with the expiration of a driver’s work authorization or lawful presence documents. However, the lawsuit alleges that the DMV failed to consistently apply this rule and did not provide affected drivers with an opportunity to correct or contest the cancellations.
“For all 19,999 immigrants, the DMV intends to cancel their commercial licenses without affording any opportunity to obtain a corrected license or to contest the cancellation,” the lawsuit states. It further asserts that the DMV’s notices violate California procedures, which mandate either canceling licenses without prejudice or adjusting expiration dates accordingly.
The Asian Law Caucus and Sikh Coalition, representing the Jakara Movement and five individual drivers, issued a joint statement emphasizing the urgency of the matter. They noted that despite public assurances from California officials that licenses would be reissued starting December 17, no such reissuance or remedial process has been implemented. This lack of action, they warn, leaves immigrant truckers vulnerable to losing their livelihoods just weeks before the cancellations take effect.
The trucking industry plays a critical role in California’s economy, transporting goods through major ports such as the Port of Oakland, where immigrant drivers constitute a significant portion of the workforce. The potential loss of nearly 20,000 commercial licenses threatens to disrupt supply chains and exacerbate labor shortages already impacting the sector.
The controversy unfolds amid ongoing tensions between state and federal authorities regarding immigration enforcement and licensing policies. The California DMV’s approach follows a broader crackdown on commercial driver’s licenses nationwide, highlighted recently by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s announcement of enforcement actions in New York, where over half of trucking licenses were reportedly issued illegally.
Legal experts and immigrant advocacy groups argue that the DMV’s failure to provide a clear, fair process for license renewal or correction violates both state regulations and the rights of immigrant workers. The lawsuit calls on the DMV to halt cancellations and establish a transparent mechanism to address the expiration date discrepancies.
For more information on the legal framework governing commercial driver’s licenses and immigrant work authorization, see the U.S. Department of Transportation and Department of Homeland Security guidelines. The Asian Law Caucus and Sikh Coalition continue to advocate for the rights of affected drivers and monitor developments closely.
The DMV has yet to comment publicly on the lawsuit. However, the case underscores the complex intersection of immigration policy, labor rights, and state regulatory practices as California navigates the challenges of ensuring legal compliance without disrupting critical industries.
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