Thousands of truck drivers of Indian origin in California have initiated a major class-action lawsuit against the state. This legal challenge comes after the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) moved to cancel their commercial driving licences, a decision the drivers argue is based on administrative mistakes and unfairly jeopardises their careers and families.
Legal Battle Over Licences and Livelihoods
The core of the dispute involves approximately 20,000 Commercial Driver’s Licences (CDLs). The DMV claims these licences were issued with expiration dates that exceeded the period the drivers were legally authorised to stay and work in the United States. Following a federal audit that flagged this issue, the agency began sending out cancellation notices. On November 6, roughly 17,000 drivers received 60-day notices, with the number rising as more cases are reviewed.
Advocacy groups, including the Sikh Coalition and the Asian Law Caucus, which filed the lawsuit, state that a large number of the affected drivers are Punjabi Sikhs. They argue that the problem originated from clerical errors made by the DMV itself, not from any wrongdoing by the drivers. Under California law, they contend, the agency is obligated to correct such mistakes or allow licence holders to reapply for corrected documents. Instead, the DMV halted all issuing, renewal, and correction processes for non-resident CDLs, leaving drivers with no clear path to resolve the issue.
"The state of California must help these drivers because the clerical errors threatening their livelihoods are of the state’s own making," said Munmeeth Kaur, Legal Director of the Sikh Coalition.
Federal Pressure and Alleged Profiling
The crackdown is believed to be a result of increased federal scrutiny. Advocacy groups point to pressure from the Trump administration after a fatal truck crash in Florida earlier this year became a national issue. Federal officials accused several states, including California, of having lax licensing standards and pushed for stricter enforcement of immigration and English-language rules for commercial drivers.
The Sikh Coalition reports that the state's response has led to wider consequences, including racial and religious profiling of Sikh truckers, many of whom wear turbans and beards as articles of faith. Industry experts warn that such stringent federal policies could potentially remove hundreds of thousands of drivers from the national workforce in the coming years.
Families and Supply Chains in Peril
The immediate impact on the drivers is severe and personal. Losing a CDL means losing the legal right to work, and the potential cancellation of their regular driving licences would strip them of the ability to drive altogether. Many of the affected individuals are the sole breadwinners for their families and have made significant investments in trucks, homes, and small transport businesses.
"If the court does not step in, we will see a devastating wave of unemployment that harms families and destabilises supply chains," warned Kaur. The DMV has not commented on the ongoing lawsuit but has previously stated it is prepared to reissue licences if federal objections are removed. The plaintiffs, however, argue that the agency already has the authority under existing state law to correct or reinstate the licences without waiting for approval from Washington.
