The Trump administration has taken nearly 9,500 commercial truck drivers off the road for failing to meet federal English-language requirements, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, in one of the most aggressive enforcement actions the industry has seen in years.
Under the new directive, law enforcement officers have the power to suspend drivers on the spot if they cannot demonstrate sufficient knowledge of English during roadside checks. Officials say the rule — long a part of federal safety standards but rarely enforced — is necessary so drivers can read signs, understand directions and communicate with authorities while operating large commercial vehicles.
In September, Duffy moved to limit commercial driver’s licenses to foreign-born applicants — a move temporarily blocked by a federal court.
From security pressure to immigration agenda
What began as a road safety initiative has turned into a far-reaching law enforcement effort that immigrant advocates say disproportionately targets foreign-born drivers who are legally allowed to work in the US.
The Department of Transportation, traditionally focused on security and logistics, is now a central player in the administration’s immigration policy.
A shift from the previous administration
While language requirements for commercial drivers have existed for decades, violations under the Obama administration typically resulted in citations, not suspensions. That changed after President Trump’s April executive order called for “common sense rules of the road.” Within weeks, the DOT ordered inspectors to disqualify drivers if they could not “adequately read or speak English,” labeling English the “national language.”
Trucking safety incidents fuel debate
Tensions escalated in August after immigrant trucker Harjinder Singh allegedly attempted an illegal U-turn on Florida Highway, leading to a crash that killed three people. Federal officials highlighted Singh’s immigration history, saying he entered the U.S. illegally before securing a California commercial driver’s license. Singh pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter.
Visa restrictions
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has since suspended work visas for foreign truckers, warning that the growing number of non-American drivers is “putting American lives at risk.”
Days later, the Department of Transportation issued an emergency rule limiting eligibility for “nonresident” commercial driver’s licenses — affecting drivers who are neither citizens nor permanent residents — based on their immigration status.
