Rule bars asylum/DACA holders from CDLs
A federal rule published this week bars asylum seekers and DACA recipients from obtaining or renewing commercial driver’s licenses, a change the report says could affect up to 200,000 immigrant truck drivers and prompt license revocations. (naturalnews.com)
FMCSA published the final rule titled “Restoring Integrity to the Issuance of Non‑Domiciled Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDL)” in the Federal Register on February 13, 2026, with the rule set to take effect March 16, 2026. (govinfo.gov) The final rule limits non‑domiciled CLP/CDL eligibility to specific employment‑based nonimmigrant statuses (H‑2A, H‑2B, E‑2) and directs State Driver Licensing Agencies to rely only on the documents listed in 49 CFR §383.71 while expressly prohibiting use of a Form I‑797C as standalone proof of status. (fmcsa.dot.gov) States must verify immigration status through the SAVE system, retain application documents and SAVE responses, and complete renewals in person while FMCSA shortens non‑domiciled credential terms to one year or to the visa expiration, whichever is sooner. (jjkeller.com) FMCSA and industry analyses estimate the rule will affect roughly 194,000–200,000 existing non‑domiciled CDL holders and about 20,000 CLP holders, while projecting only about 6,000 new non‑domiciled authorizations per year going forward. (hklaw.com) The D.C. Circuit issued an administrative stay of the earlier interim final rule on November 10, 2025, and after FMCSA issued the near‑identical final rule in February 2026, Public Citizen and allied plaintiffs filed a new challenge on February 13, 2026; the litigation and agency motions have left enforcement and remedies the subject of ongoing court proceedings. (fmcsa.dot.gov) State action has already followed: Texas suspended issuance of certain non‑domiciled CDLs on September 29, 2025, and the California DMV canceled approximately 13,000 non‑domiciled CDLs effective March 6, 2026 after federal direction, while FMCSA moved in January 2026 to withhold roughly $158.3 million in federal highway funds from California for noncompliance. (dps.texas.gov)
