Overview
- California’s DMV said roughly 17,000 commercial licenses slated for cancellation on Jan. 5 will remain valid until March, citing the need to protect eligible drivers from wrongful termination.
- The extension came a week after immigrant advocates, including the Sikh Coalition and Asian Law Caucus, filed a class‑action suit alleging the state bowed to federal pressure and violated state renewal rules.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy disputed California’s announcement, saying there is no extension and warning the state could lose nearly $160 million in federal funds if it misses the Jan. 5 deadline.
- The DMV previously acknowledged mismatched expiration dates and other record issues for non‑domiciled licenses, and federal reviewers blocked the state’s plan to resume issuing corrected credentials on Dec. 17.
- About 17,299 drivers received notices, many of them asylum seekers and Punjabi truckers in California’s Central Valley, and industry figures note immigrants comprise about 20% of drivers while non‑domiciled licenses account for roughly 5% nationwide.