Pro-Democrat Unions Sue Trump Admin Over Migrant Truck Driver Rule

URGENT UPDATE: Labor unions supporting Democratic candidates have just filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s recent crackdown on illegal migrant truck drivers. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) are challenging the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) emergency rule that requires non-citizen drivers to undergo federal immigration status checks.

This lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, comes as the administration intensifies efforts to remove illegal migrant truck drivers from the roads following a series of serious accidents. The new DOT rule could potentially impact 200,000 individuals holding non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs), many of whom might not have entered the United States lawfully.

AFT President Randi Weingarten criticized the rule, stating,

“For the Trump administration, the cruelty is the point. This is a spiteful and illegal rule issued with no justification except to hurt hundreds of thousands of lawful immigrants with work authorization who only want to build a better life for themselves and their families.”

In September 2023, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy announced that non-citizens seeking non-domiciled CDLs must now provide proof of an employment-based visa. The emergency regulation follows multiple tragic accidents involving illegal migrant truck drivers, including a fatal incident in August where a driver allegedly caused a crash that killed three people in Florida.

Investigations have revealed alarming safety issues; the driver involved in the Florida crash was an Indian national living illegally in the U.S. and struggled with English comprehension, failing to recognize basic road signs. Duffy indicated that ongoing investigations by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) exposed a pattern of unlawful license issuance to foreign drivers by state officials.

Additionally, a recent operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol led to the arrest of over 90 illegal migrants operating commercial vehicles along a single highway, with a total of 120 individuals taken into custody for various immigration violations.

The Trump administration has defended its crackdown on illegal migrant truckers as a measure to enhance highway safety, while also imposing stricter English language proficiency requirements for drivers. Trucking industry experts suggest these changes have, in certain markets, allowed American truckers to earn higher wages.

Both AFSCME and AFT, known for their political endorsements, previously supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election and endorsed Joe Biden in 2020, as well as Hillary Clinton in 2016. They argue that the crackdown on non-domiciled CDL holders threatens the livelihoods of asylum seekers and refugees working in the trucking industry.

As this legal challenge unfolds, the implications for migrant workers and the trucking industry remain significant. Lawmakers, industry stakeholders, and advocates are closely monitoring developments and potential consequences for hundreds of thousands of drivers relying on these licenses.

Stay tuned for further updates as this story continues to develop.