Overview

• New federal rules require immigration-status verification and restrict eligibility to H-2A, H-2B and E-2 visa holders, with credentials generally capped at one year.
• All states are directed to halt issuing commercial licenses to noncitizens until their systems meet the new verification and documentation standards.
• An FMCSA audit found widespread improper licensing in multiple states and flagged California for more than 25% improper issuance in a reviewed sample.
• The policy is not retroactive, allowing roughly 200,000 current noncitizen CDL holders to retain credentials until renewal, though only about 10,000 would qualify under the new criteria.
• Trucking trade groups, including the American Trucking Associations and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, endorsed the enforcement push for consistent state compliance.