Legal Battle Unfolds as California DMV Moves to Revoke Nearly 20,000 Immigrant Truckers’ Licenses
A Community in Crisis
A major legal battle is brewing in California as immigrant truckers face the potential loss of their livelihoods. On Tuesday, the Asian Law Caucus and the Sikh Coalition, joined by the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, filed a class-action lawsuit against the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The lawsuit aims to prevent the cancellation of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) for approximately 20,000 immigrant drivers, which is scheduled to begin on January 5, 2026. This legal action represents the Jakara Movement—a grassroots organization supporting working-class Punjabi Sikhs and other marginalized communities—along with five commercial drivers who claim their rights and livelihoods are being threatened. Despite public assurances from state officials that they would begin reissuing licenses on December 17, the lawsuit contends that no licenses have been reissued, nor has a process been established to address the expiration date issue at the center of the controversy.
The Heart of the Dispute
According to the lawsuit, on November 6, the California DMV notified 17,299 immigrant drivers and business owners that their non-domiciled CDLs would be canceled due to an error with the expiration dates. An additional 2,700 drivers received similar notices in December, informing them their licenses would be canceled in mid-February. At issue is a requirement that the DMV set expiration dates for CDLs issued to immigrants that align with or precede the expiration of the driver’s work authorization or legal presence documents. The lawsuit alleges that the DMV violated its own procedures, which would require the department to either cancel the licenses without prejudice or simply change the expiration dates. Instead, the DMV plans to cancel all 19,999 licenses without providing drivers an opportunity to obtain corrected licenses or contest the cancellations. More troubling, the lawsuit claims that despite its own regulations, “the DMV did not consistently ensure that a CDL’s expiration date matched the end of a person’s period of work authorization or lawful presence.”
Lives and Livelihoods at Stake
The human impact of this administrative action extends far beyond paperwork issues. The lawsuit emphasizes that these drivers “play an indispensable role in our local and national economies, providing essential services that communities rely on every day.” They transport food, drive children to school, and deliver manufactured goods across the country. The potential consequences are severe: “The sudden loss of their ability to work threatens not only their livelihoods but also the stability of our supply chains and services on which the public depends.” For individual drivers, the cancellations could mean financial ruin. Many have families to support, mortgages to pay, and few alternative career options that offer comparable compensation. The ripple effects would extend to the businesses that employ these drivers, the companies that rely on their services, and ultimately to consumers who depend on the goods they transport.
Personal Stories Behind the Numbers
The lawsuit details several plaintiffs’ experiences that highlight both the human dimension and the apparent inconsistencies in the DMV’s approach. One plaintiff, identified as John Doe 4, allegedly received a cancellation letter despite having a CDL that expires on the same day as his work authorization—the very document he used to renew the license. This suggests that even drivers whose documentation appears to be in compliance are facing cancellation. Another case involves a member of the Jakara Movement who, concerned about his license cancellation, visited a DMV office in person seeking clarification. Instead of receiving help, the lawsuit claims he was “pressured into surrendering his CDL, out of fear that his non-commercial driver’s license would already be cancelled.” These personal stories illustrate the confusion, fear, and lack of clear guidance that has characterized this situation, leaving thousands of drivers in a state of uncertainty about their future.
Political Context and Controversy
This issue has emerged amid heightened national tensions around immigration policy. In November, the Department of Transportation announced that California was planning to revoke these licenses, claiming the state had “admitted to illegally issuing” them. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office disputed this characterization, though the lawsuit confirms that cancellation notices were indeed sent to more than the initially reported 17,000 drivers. The controversy appears connected to the Trump administration’s crackdown on the CDL issuing process, which was part of broader efforts to address illegal immigration. That initiative was reportedly prompted by several fatal crashes involving non-domiciled CDL holders. However, the lawsuit raises questions about the accuracy of the DMV’s determination process, noting that the “DMV has not explained how it identified 19,999 licenses as out of compliance with state law and how it can ensure that its determinations are accurate.” This lack of transparency has fueled concerns about whether the cancellations are based on legitimate administrative errors or influenced by shifting political priorities.
Seeking Resolution and Relief
The plaintiffs are asking the court to issue a writ of mandate, preliminary injunction, or permanent injunction that would require the California DMV to ensure that affected drivers can obtain corrected CDLs “without interruption to their driving privileges.” This legal remedy would allow drivers to continue working while administrative issues are resolved, preventing the economic hardship and supply chain disruptions that would likely result from mass license cancellations. As of the lawsuit’s filing, neither the California DMV nor Governor Newsom’s office had provided public comments on the legal action. The outcome of this case will have significant implications not just for the immigrant drivers directly affected, but also for California’s economy and the national conversation around immigration, work authorization, and transportation safety. For now, nearly 20,000 drivers and their families remain in limbo, awaiting a resolution that will determine whether they can continue in their chosen profession or must seek alternative means to support themselves and their families in an increasingly challenging economic landscape.
