Thousands of California Immigrant Truck Drivers Face License Revocation

Civil rights groups file emergency order to halt DMV's planned cancellation of 20,000 commercial driver's licenses

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Nearly 20,000 non-domiciled commercial truck drivers in California could lose their licenses on March 6 as a Department of Motor Vehicles deadline looms. Civil rights groups have filed an emergency order asking the DMV to pause the license cancellations, arguing the state did not follow proper procedures and is unfairly punishing drivers who did everything legally required of them.

Why it matters

The potential license revocations could have significant economic impacts, disrupting supply chains and driving up costs for businesses and consumers across California. The situation also raises concerns about due process and the treatment of immigrant workers who are legally employed in the trucking industry.

The details

The DMV says the license cancellations are due to a mismatch between the expiration dates on the drivers' work authorizations and the expiration dates on their commercial driver's licenses (CDLs). Civil rights groups argue the state broke the law by not providing a clear process for drivers to reapply for their licenses. Trucking industry leaders warn the CDL cuts could lead to driver shortages, higher shipping costs, and broader economic impacts.

  • The DMV's deadline to cancel the licenses is set for Friday, March 6, 2026.
  • In December 2025, civil rights groups filed a lawsuit alleging the DMV did not follow proper procedures.
  • A California judge ruled that the drivers could temporarily keep their CDLs, prompting the DMV to extend its deadline to March 6.

The players

Asian Law Caucus

A civil rights organization that filed the lawsuit against the California DMV along with the Sikh Coalition.

Raman Dhillon

CEO of the North American Punjabi Trucking Association, who says the license revocations will lead to driver shortages, bankruptcies, and broader economic impacts.

Amarjit Singh

A Sacramento-based truck driver and co-founder of Freedom Drivers, an alliance of immigrant truckers, who says the DMV's actions are unfairly targeting lawful drivers due to clerical errors.

California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

The state agency responsible for issuing and revoking commercial driver's licenses, which says the cancellations are due to mismatched expiration dates on driver documents.

Trump administration

The federal government has announced it will withhold $160 million in highway funds from California as punishment for extending the CDL expiration deadline.

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What they’re saying

“These workers did everything the law required of them, yet they're the ones being punished for a bureaucratic failure they didn't create. The state cannot rip away people's licenses first and figure out a fix later. These cancellations must be stopped now.”

— Katherine Zhao, Senior Attorney, Asian Law Caucus

“People, they are just, they're scared.”

— Raman Dhillon, CEO, North American Punjabi Trucking Association

“So, pretty much, they are out of business with one click. And also, there's a lot of bankruptcies going on because of this, because they literally cannot afford those payments there. Because these trucks are expensive.”

— Raman Dhillon, CEO, North American Punjabi Trucking Association

“One or two apples can be bad, not a whole community, you know?”

— Amarjit Singh, Truck Driver and Co-Founder, Freedom Drivers

“The issue is a date mismatch between my work authorization and the way it was recorded on my license, and that discrepancy is now being used as grounds to cancel my license.”

— Amarjit Singh, Truck Driver and Co-Founder, Freedom Drivers

What’s next

A California judge will decide on Thursday whether to grant the emergency order to halt the DMV's planned license cancellations.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the complex challenges facing immigrant workers in the trucking industry, as well as the broader economic and supply chain impacts that can result from bureaucratic errors and policy decisions that fail to account for the real-world consequences on businesses and communities.