A week after immigrant groups filed a lawsuit, California said Tuesday it will delay the revocations of 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses until March 2024 to allow more time to ensure that eligible truckers and bus drivers can retain their licenses.
The state had originally decided to revoke these licenses following pressure from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to ensure that immigrants currently in the country illegally were not granted such licenses. This shift came after a tragic incident in Florida where an unauthorized driver caused an accident that resulted in three fatalities.
DMV Director Steve Gordon emphasized the critical role commercial drivers play in the economy, stating, Our supply chains don't move, and our communities don't stay connected without them. In December, the state had planned to begin issuing licenses again, but this plan was halted by federal authorities.
The Sikh Coalition and the Asian Law Caucus, who filed the class-action lawsuit, argue that immigrant truck drivers are being unfairly targeted. Notably, both the driver responsible for the August crash in Florida and another involved in a deadly incident in California in October belonged to the Sikh community.
Mumeeth Kaur, the legal director of the Sikh Coalition, remarked on the importance of the delay in alleviating the immediate threats faced by these drivers and their livelihoods.
Despite significant immigrant representation (20% of truck drivers), non-domiciled licenses, which are essential for many immigrants, constitute only 5% of all commercial driver’s licenses. Recent regulations proposed by the Transportation Department that sought to restrict access to these licenses were put on hold by a court ruling.
Overall, while the delay provides a temporary reprieve for affected drivers, ongoing tensions indicate a complex intersection between immigration policy and transportation safety.
