Trump revokes over 28,000 truck licences; Indian-origin drivers may be affected

Washington: The administration of US President Donald Trump has revoked more than 28,000 commercial driver's licences (CDLs) held by immigrant truck drivers as part of a broader crackdown on non-citizen drivers, while launching a new initiative to recruit military veterans into the trucking industry.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the move on Tuesday.

According to the US administration, the licences of 24,000 non-citizens were cancelled because the drivers did not meet the required English language proficiency standards. The administration also said it had worked with states to shut down 9,500 driving schools that allegedly helped such drivers obtain commercial licences.

The move is expected to affect Indian immigrants, particularly those from Punjab and Haryana, who make up a significant share of the US trucking workforce. Citing data from the North American Punjabi Truckers Association, The Indian Express reported that between 130,000 and 150,000 truck drivers in the US are from the two states.

The cancellation of thousands of licences is likely to worsen the shortage of truck drivers responsible for transporting goods across the country.

Part of wider immigration crackdown

The action forms part of the Trump administration's wider crackdown on immigrant truck drivers, which intensified after a fatal road accident in Florida in August 2025. Authorities said the crash occurred after a truck driver allegedly made an illegal U-turn, killing three people.

Following the incident, the US Department of Transportation stepped up enforcement of existing English language requirements for commercial drivers.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the driver involved in the crash, who was from India, should never have been issued a commercial licence.

According to the administration, more than 26,000 drivers have since been removed from service for failing to demonstrate adequate English proficiency.

The federal government has also sought to withhold millions of dollars in highway funding from California and New York over what it alleges is their failure to revoke additional licences. The matter is currently before a court, while several other states, including Pennsylvania, Minnesota and North Carolina, have been warned they could face similar funding cuts.

'Freedom Haulers' campaign

Alongside the enforcement measures, the administration has launched the Freedom Haulers campaign to encourage military veterans to take up careers in the trucking industry.

Under the initiative, veterans with experience driving heavy military vehicles will be allowed to bypass the commercial driving skills test required to obtain a CDL, enabling them to enter the profession more quickly.

President Trump, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Veterans Affairs Secretary Douglas A. Collins and Acting Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling formally launched the programme at the White House last week.

In a statement, the Department of Transportation said the initiative builds on the administration's efforts to improve road safety, enforce commercial driving standards and expand employment opportunities for American veterans.

Duffy said the campaign would help veterans obtain commercial licences more quickly and transition into well-paid civilian jobs in the trucking sector.