by Increased Scrutiny of Truck Drivers
Truck drivers across the country are facing more scrutiny than ever. The Texas Department of Public Safety is now tightening its actions following emergency rule changes from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Simply put, certain immigrant groups, including refugees, asylees, and recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, must put their driving plans on hold, if not permanently.
Starting September 29, the Department of Public Safety stopped issuing Commercial Driver’s Licenses and Commercial Learner’s Permits to the specified groups. This decision affects new applications, renewals, and reissues of non-domicile commercial licenses, effectively blocking non-citizens legally residing in the U.S. from obtaining or maintaining these documents. Even applications already under review are being canceled.
Safety as the Reason for Changes
Federal regulators state that the changes were prompted by a nationwide audit and what they described as a “recent series of horrific fatal crashes caused by non-domiciled drivers.” The Administration added that from now on, non-citizens will only be eligible for licenses if they meet stricter standards. Overall, the number of drivers affected is relatively small, but the consequences cannot be ignored.
According to state data, Texas issued 220,430 Commercial Driver’s Licenses last year. About 6,265 of them (approximately 3 percent) were classified as non-domicile. The Texas Tribune points to statistics from the American Immigration Council, which show that refugees make up 1.2 percent of truck drivers in the state, while drivers eligible for DACA make up 1.1 percent.
Additional Checks in Texas
This latest suspension adds to new measures ordered by Governor Greg Abbott in early September. He instructed the Department of Public Safety to conduct English proficiency checks for truck drivers, presenting this step as a safety issue.
Every holder of a commercial driver’s license operating on Texas roads must be able to communicate clearly in English to ensure compliance with traffic rules, follow safety instructions, and prevent accidents.
For now, the suspension means that thousands of legal non-citizens in Texas, including those already working in the trucking industry, are left in limbo. The Department of Public Safety reports that it will provide further updates as it works with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to implement the new federal standards. Until then, both drivers and companies remain waiting to see what these changes will mean for trucking in the state.
These regulatory changes are occurring against the backdrop of a nationwide discussion about road safety and immigrants’ access to professions. Truck drivers remain critically important to supply chains, and any restrictions could impact economic stability. Simultaneously, demands for higher safety standards continue to grow, creating a complex balance between ensuring public safety and maintaining the workforce in a key industry.
