Illegal alien truck drivers in California are taking litigation lessons from the state’s politicians, recently suing the state for canceling their non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses.
Two civil rights groups filed the class-action lawsuit on behalf of the truckers to stop the California Department of Motor Vehicles from revoking the commercial driver’s licenses of 21,000 immigrant truckers.
The plaintiffs argue that canceling the licenses is unlawful, and they have been deprived of their rights and livelihoods. The legal challenge arises from an audit that revealed the California DMV issued more than 17,000 CDLs to immigrants with expiration dates that exceeded the time the drivers were legally permitted to be in the U.S.
The California DMV agreed to revoke the CDLs in November after mounting pressure from the Trump administration and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has threatened to pull $160 million in federal funds from California.
Earlier this year, Duffy issued emergency rules that make it harder for illegal immigrants to obtain a non-domiciled CDL driver’s license following several deadly crashes on American highways.
Duffy also has targeted the sanctuary states that issue CDLs to immigrants and the sanctuary politicians that defend allowing unqualified drivers to operate 18-wheelers.
The administration has threatened to withhold federal funding from states that don’t comply with new English language proficiency requirements for truck drivers.
“I don’t understand the liberal mindset where these governors would allow illegal aliens to operate 18-ton trucks. It’s reckless. It puts American lives in danger,” Duffy recently shared on X. “But I will do what is in my power to prevent the loss of lives and @USDOT will not fund states that are jeopardizing roadway safety.”
I don’t understand the liberal mindset where these governors would allow illegal aliens to operate 18 ton trucks. It’s reckless. It puts American lives in danger.
But I will do what is in my power to prevent the loss of lives and @USDOT will not fund states that are jeopardizing… pic.twitter.com/IfmlM3FfN9
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) December 23, 2025
On Dec. 23, the same day the lawsuit was filed, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the arrests of 101 illegal alien truck drivers as part of Operation Highway Sentinel.
“The operation follows a series of fatal accidents caused by illegal aliens who were issued commercial driver’s licenses in Gavin Newsom’s California,” the agency said in a news release.
This operation took place throughout California, where thousands of illegal immigrants have obtained commercial driver’s licenses under Newsom’s policies. Some of these drivers are also long-haul truck drivers, crossing state lines and jeopardizing the safety of law-abiding Americans.
“Gavin Newsom’s sanctuary state policies are costing American lives,” said ICE Deputy Director Madison D. Sheahan. “His government knowingly issued thousands of CDLs to illegal aliens who had no business driving at all, let alone behind the wheel of a massive semi-truck.”
Since August, there have been at least six high-profile pileups or fatalities involving illegal migrant truck drivers that have killed 11 people in Florida, California, Indiana, Tennessee, Oregon and Washington state, FOX News reported.
In some cases, the semi-truck drivers were driving under the influence or distracted and slammed into stopped vehicles. In other cases, they could not speak English or read basic road signs. Several of the immigrants crossed the border and obtained work authorization under the Biden administration.
ICE has conducted similar operations targeting illegal aliens with CDLs in Indiana, New York and Oklahoma, which have resulted in the arrests of over 200 illegal alien truck drivers with CDLs.
“These drivers get their licenses, leave California, then terrorize roads all over the country,” Sheahan continued. “ICE is stepping in where his state failed. Just like our operations in Oklahoma and Indiana, we are taking these dangerous illegal alien truckers off the roads and making California streets safe again.”
On Nov. 6, the California DMV notified 17,299 immigrant drivers and business owners that their non-domiciled CDLs would be canceled on Jan. 5, 2026, due to an error with the expiration date of the licenses. A similar letter was sent to additional 2,700 drivers in December, informing them their licenses would be canceled in mid-February.
Eric Daugherty of Right Line News and Florida’s Voice shared a news clip on X with his own commentary: “Absolutely unreal. They should be DEPORTED as well, on top of the CDLs being canceled. Cut off the CDLs and save Americans.”
🚨 JUST IN: 20,000 THOUSAND illegal aliens and migrants are now SUING after President Trump forced California to revoke their Commercial Drivers Licenses
Absolutely unreal.
They should be DEPORTED as well, on top of the CDLs being canceled.
Cut off the CDLs and save Americans. pic.twitter.com/uC6RjVxYw9
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 26, 2025
The immigrant truckers are being represented by several legal groups, including the Asian Law Caucus, the Sikh Coalition, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, The National News Desk reported.
The class-action lawsuit was filed in Alameda County Superior Court on behalf of the Jakara Movement and five commercial drivers who have been deprived of their rights and livelihoods, according to a news release from the Asian Law Caucus.
The lawyers have asked the court to grant a stay, which would pause the license cancellations while the lawsuit proceeds.
The advocacy groups argue the move violates due process rights, claiming it is unlawful and will result in mass work stoppages beginning Jan. 5.
The outcome of the lawsuit could set a precedent for how other states—currently facing similar federal pressure—handle the licensing of immigrant workers, FOX 11 in Los Angeles reported.
The lawyers contend the revocations stem from DMV errors and federal pressure, threatening livelihoods and supply chains. The drivers “comply with a host of federal and state regulations, including regular renewals of their licenses and work authorization allowed under immigration law.”
According to reports from the San Francisco Chronicle and KQED, California state officials said they would begin reissuing licenses on Dec. 17. However, the state has not reissued any of the contested licenses nor created a process to remedy the date errors before Jan. 5, according to the Asian Law Caucus.
“Our state has a clear moral obligation and legal duty to protect workers who have done everything right,” said Katherine Zhao, senior staff attorney at Asian Law Caucus. “Without an immediate court-ordered stay, many drivers will lose their jobs through no fault of their own.”
California Governor Newsom has denied that any licenses were issued illegally and deflected blame, saying the federal government gave them the paperwork to obtain the CDLs.
The California DMV has stated it does not comment on pending litigation, FOX 11 reported.
