En esta noticia
The state of Texas has made a high-impact administrative decision that has already begun to be felt strongly on roads and logistics centers.
In just three months, nearly 6,000 truck drivers lost their commercial license to drive heavy vehicles, a situation that threatens to alter not only their personal finances, but also the functioning of freight transport in the state.
The measure affects mainly drivers who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and it is part of an emergency rule pushed from the federal level under the argument of strengthening public safety.
Which driver’s licenses are affected by the measure
Since September, the National Transportation Secretariat ordered greater immigration scrutiny for commercial licenses. As a result, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) began downgrading CDL licenses to Class C permits, valid only for private cars.
This means that those affected can no longer drive trucks, even though many of them own their vehicles and depend on that work as their only source of income.
Who can no longer obtain a commercial license in Texas
The temporary regulation directly excludes several migrant groups. Since its implementation, those under these conditions cannot obtain or renew commercial licenses:
- Asylum seekers
- Refugees
- Beneficiaries of DACA
- Holders of TPS
According to official data, by December 7 nearly 6,000 licenses had already been downgraded across the state, a figure that continues to raise concern in the transportation sector.
The economic impact: trucks parked and debts at risk
For many drivers, losing the license is not just an administrative procedure. It means trucks left idle, canceled contracts, and debts that are hard to meet. Several of those affected invested thousands of dollars in courses, exams, paperwork, and even in buying their own freight vehicle.
Some say they found out about the cancellation during routine traffic stops, when an officer informed them that their commercial license had been revoked and they could no longer continue the trip.
After going to offices of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), many truckers received formal letters from the DPS notifying them that, because they did not have permanent residency or citizenship, they were disqualified from driving commercial vehicles.
In several cases, the trucks were impounded, deepening the immediate financial impact.