Bay Area Immigrant Truck Drivers Concerned Amid Crackdown on Commercial Licenses

Trucking company owner says immigrant drivers are being "targeted" and "harassed" by federal policies.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Employees at an Oakland trucking company are on edge as the Trump Administration said it will continue its crackdown on certain commercial licenses held by immigrant truck drivers. The administration released an audit last September that questioned the legitimacy of about 20,000 California commercial driver's licenses held by immigrants, finding the licenses had expiration dates that exceeded the drivers' authorization to live and work in the US. Now, those licenses are scheduled to be cancelled on March 6.

Why it matters

This policy could have a devastating impact on immigrant truck drivers, their livelihoods, their families, and the communities they serve, as having a commercial license is a requirement of their jobs. It could also disrupt essential services provided by these drivers across the state and country.

The details

Bill Aboudi, the immigrant owner of AB Trucking in Oakland, said most of his employees are immigrants and none have received the letter about their license being revoked, but many are still uneasy. During President Trump's State of the Union address, he called on Congress to pass the "Dalilah law" to bar states from granting commercial driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants, named after a girl injured in an accident involving an undocumented driver. Advocates and drivers, including attorney Katherine Zhao of the Asian Law Caucus, argued against the license cancellations in court, hoping to get a decision before the March 6 deadline to prevent the cancellations from going into effect.

  • In September 2025, the Trump administration released an audit questioning the legitimacy of about 20,000 California commercial driver's licenses held by immigrants.
  • On March 6, 2026, the commercial driver's licenses in question are scheduled to be cancelled.

The players

Bill Aboudi

The immigrant owner of AB Trucking in Oakland, California.

Katherine Zhao

An attorney with the Asian Law Caucus who is arguing against the license cancellations in court.

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What they’re saying

“You're targeted, and you get harassed and that's what's been happening.”

— Bill Aboudi, Owner, AB Trucking (cbsnews.com)

“It would have a devastating impact, not only on the individuals like you mentioned but their livelihoods because having a commercial license is a requirement of their jobs, but also it would impact their families, the communities that they serve, as well as the larger state and if not the country, because they're providing essential services.”

— Katherine Zhao, Attorney, Asian Law Caucus (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The hearing in court was continued to Thursday, but advocates are hopeful they can get a decision before the March 6 deadline to prevent the license cancellations from going into effect.

The takeaway

This policy targeting immigrant truck drivers could have far-reaching consequences, disrupting essential services and devastating the livelihoods of these workers and their families. It highlights the ongoing tensions around immigration policies and their impact on local communities.