California migrant truckers suing state DMV over canceled commercial drivers licenses

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is currently facing a lawsuit filed on behalf of nearly 20,000 immigrant truckers over the state’s decision to revoke their commercial drivers’ licenses (CDLs). The lawsuit, brought by the Asian Law Caucus and the Sikh Coalition, along with the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, aims to prevent the California DMV from canceling the CDLs, which could lead to mass work stoppages starting January 5, 2026.

According to a joint statement from the Asian Law Caucus and Sikh Coalition, the lawsuit represents the Jakara Movement and five commercial drivers who have been affected by the decision. The California DMV had notified 17,299 immigrant drivers and business owners in November that their non-domiciled CDLs would be canceled due to an error with the expiration date of the licenses. An additional 2,700 drivers received similar notices in December.

The lawsuit alleges that the DMV letters violated California procedure, which requires the department to either cancel the license without prejudice or adjust the expiration date. The DMV is supposed to set the expiration date for a CDL given to an immigrant based on the expiration of their work authorization or legal presence documents. However, the lawsuit claims that the DMV did not consistently ensure that the CDL’s expiration date matched the end of a person’s work authorization or lawful presence.

In response to the federal government’s announcement that California was planning to revoke 17,000 non-domiciled CDLs, Governor Gavin Newsom’s office disputed the assertion that the state had illegally issued the licenses. The lawsuit notes that more than the reported 17,000 drivers received cancellation notices.

The lawsuit emphasizes the essential role immigrant truckers play in the local and national economies, providing crucial services like transporting food, driving children to school, and delivering goods. The sudden loss of their ability to work not only impacts their livelihoods but also threatens the stability of supply chains and services relied upon by the public.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit have shared their experiences after receiving the cancellation letters, highlighting instances where CDLs were seemingly in compliance with regulations. The lawsuit calls on the judge to issue a writ of mandate or injunction requiring the California DMV to ensure that affected individuals can obtain corrected CDLs without interruption to their driving privileges.

The Trump administration had previously cracked down on the CDL issuing process as part of efforts to address illegal immigration, following a series of fatal crashes involving non-domiciled CDL holders. The California DMV and Governor Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.