Federal authorities arrested nearly 250 foreign commercial truck drivers in November alone, signaling an intensified crackdown on road safety and immigration compliance. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) are spearheading these efforts, scrutinizing foreign drivers and commercial driver's license (CDL) issuance processes following a series of high-profile incidents.
This surge in enforcement follows a fatal August 2025 crash in Florida, where an Indian-origin driver, who had entered the U.S. illegally, was involved in an accident that killed three people. In response, the U.S. government paused worker visas for commercial truck drivers, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating, "The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives."
The FMCSA, the lead federal agency for commercial vehicle safety, issued an Interim Final Rule in September 2025 to "restore integrity" to non-domiciled CDLs. This rule significantly limits who can obtain these licenses and mandates states to use DHS's Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system for immigration status checks. Additionally, the FMCSA has renewed its focus on enforcing English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers.
DHS agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), are actively involved in screening drivers at borders and conducting operations against those operating without proper authorization. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has affirmed her team's collaboration with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to prevent undocumented individuals from obtaining licenses from "sanctuary jurisdictions."
While the FMCSA's new rule aims to enhance safety, it has faced legal challenges, with a U.S. Court of Appeals issuing an emergency stay on its implementation. This has left approximately 200,000 drivers in legal limbo and highlights ongoing debates within the trucking industry regarding driver shortages versus safety standards. Despite the legal pause, many states remain hesitant to resume issuing non-domiciled CDLs.
The sentiment expressed by Eva Knott, "Because Dept. of Homeland Security stepped up, we no longer need FMCSA?", oversimplifies the complex regulatory landscape. Federal officials emphasize a collaborative approach, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noting that DOT lacks the "massive law enforcement presence" of ICE and praising DHS's support in ensuring compliance and road safety. Both agencies continue to play distinct yet interconnected roles in overseeing commercial transportation and driver qualifications.