Federal Sweep Removes 800 Drivers and Tightens CDL Rules

Federal agencies ran a three-day roadside enforcement sweep in late July across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Ohio. The operation removed 800 drivers and commercial vehicles from the highways.

Federal motor carrier safety inspectors joined state police and immigration officers for the checks. Teams looked for vehicle safety problems, criminal activity, and immigration violations.

A similar March operation in Florida checked over 3,300 commercial vehicles. Officials pulled 176 drivers from duty, with 54 failing English proficiency tests. The government is linking road safety checks to immigration enforcement and licensing rules.

Updated licensing rules now restrict non-domiciled permits to H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 visa holders. Workers can no longer use employment authorization cards. They must show a current foreign passport and Form I-94 instead. State agencies will run every applicant through the SAVE verification database.

Government agents are also reviewing commercial driving schools. Over 550 programs got removal notices in February. Investigators are searching for false business locations, untrained teachers, and altered student files.

Fleet owners and drivers need to check that their permits match the updated visa paperwork. Businesses should verify that their training partners keep their federal registration. Upcoming road checks will keep focusing on vehicle safety, English ability, and legal status.

Source: Heavy Duty Trucking — https://www.truckinginfo.com/news/trump-administration-expands-ices-role-in-trucking-enforcement