Thousands of Indians may lose jobs as Trump cancels 28,000 immigrant trucker licences

The Donald Trump administration has cancelled the commercial driver's licences (CDLs) of more than 28,000 immigrant truck drivers and announced a new initiative to replace them with US military veterans, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday. According to the administration, the move is intended to tighten enforcement of existing regulations governing commercial drivers and promote employment opportunities for military veterans.

English proficiency cited

In a statement, the administration said the licences of nearly 24,000 non-citizen drivers had been revoked because they did not meet the required English language proficiency standards. It also said the federal government had worked with states to shut down around 9,500 driving schools that allegedly enabled such drivers to obtain commercial licences.

Indian drivers likely affected

The decision is expected to affect a significant number of Indian-origin truck drivers in the United States. According to data from the North American Punjabi Truckers Association, cited by The Indian Express, an estimated 1.3 lakh to 1.5 lakh truck drivers in the US trace their roots to Punjab and Haryana. The cancellation of more than 28,000 licences is also expected to create a shortage of truck drivers responsible for transporting goods across the country.

Crackdown follows fatal crash

The latest action is part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on immigrant truck drivers, which intensified after a fatal crash in Florida in August 2025. The accident, in which three people were killed, allegedly occurred after a truck driver made an illegal U-turn. Following the incident, the US Department of Transportation began stricter enforcement of English language requirements for commercial drivers.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the driver involved in the crash, who was from India, should never have been granted a commercial licence. The administration says around 26,000 drivers have since been removed from service for failing to demonstrate adequate English proficiency. It has also sought to withhold millions of dollars in federal highway funding from California and New York over what it alleges is their failure to revoke additional licences. The dispute is currently before a court, while states including Pennsylvania, Minnesota and North Carolina have also been warned of possible funding cuts.

Freedom Haulers campaign launched

To address the expected shortage of drivers, the administration has launched the Freedom Haulers campaign, aimed at recruiting military veterans into the trucking industry. The programme will allow veterans who have experience operating heavy military vehicles to bypass the commercial driving skills test required for obtaining a CDL. President Donald Trump, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Veterans Affairs Secretary Douglas A. Collins and Acting Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling formally launched the initiative at the White House last week.

Administration defends move

Describing the campaign, the US Department of Transportation said it builds on the administration's efforts to improve road safety, strengthen enforcement against foreign drivers and expand opportunities for American workers. "Illegal immigrants who can't speak our language have no business getting behind the wheel of a big rig. Veterans – who have already demonstrated the grit, discipline, and skills to take on this vital task – are the right people for the job," Duffy said. He added that the initiative would enable military veterans to obtain commercial licences more quickly and begin earning income in a shorter time.