The California DMV Faces Lawsuit Over Revoking Immigrant Truckers’ Licenses
A lawsuit has been filed against the California Department of Motor Vehicles on behalf of nearly 20,000 immigrant truckers whose commercial drivers’ licenses (CDLs) are at risk of being revoked. The lawsuit aims to prevent the cancellation of these licenses, which could lead to mass work stoppages starting Jan 5, 2026.
The Asian Law Caucus, Sikh Coalition, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP are representing the plaintiffs in this class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that the DMV notified 17,299 immigrant drivers and business owners in November that their CDLs would be canceled due to an error with the expiration date of the licenses.
Despite assurances from California state officials that licenses would be reissued, no action has been taken to rectify the situation. The lawsuit argues that the DMV violated California procedure by not allowing drivers to obtain corrected licenses or contest the cancellation of their CDLs.
The cancellation of these licenses has far-reaching implications beyond the drivers themselves, affecting various aspects of the economy and community services. The lawsuit calls for the DMV to ensure that affected individuals can obtain corrected CDLs without interruption to their driving privileges.
The Trump administration’s crackdown on CDL issuing processes was a precursor to the current situation, following fatal crashes involving non-domiciled CDL holders. Despite the ongoing legal battle, the California DMV and Governor Gavin Newsom’s office have not responded to requests for comment.
