More than 6,400 truck drivers in Texas have lost their commercial driving privileges after new federal rules tightened eligibility for non-domiciled commercial driver's licences (CDLs), the Houston Chronicle reported. Non-domiciled drivers live or work in the United States but have permanent residence in another country, and many found their CDLs suddenly downgraded, leaving them unable to drive commercially.
An industry release citing federal regulators put the Texas figure at 6,407 revocations, part of more than 30,000 non-domiciled CDLs cancelled nationally in the same enforcement period. The release also said the U.S. Department of Transportation removed 110 CDL training schools from its federal registry in August 2026, including 13 in Texas.
Houston trucking business owner Ivan Delgado told the Chronicle he never received a letter from the Texas Department of Public Safety warning him about his licence. He said he and his brother-in-law, whom he employs as a driver, learned their licences had been downgraded only after the brother-in-law was held in ICE detention after his 18-wheeler got stuck on a railroad crossing. At a DPS office, Delgado said, he was told he was no longer qualified to hold a CDL.
“Things have changed really quick. One day to the other, they told you you cannot drive,” Delgado told the Chronicle. He said he can no longer drive his own trucks — “Not even to take it for an oil change” — and now works an office role while paying qualified drivers $70,000 to $90,000 a year: “I'm working double for half the money I used to make.”
Under the federal rules that took effect in March 2026, a general Employment Authorization Document is no longer enough for a new, renewed or upgraded non-domiciled CDL. Eligible foreign applicants must generally show lawful status under one of three employment-based categories — H-2A, H-2B or E-2 — states must verify immigration information through the federal SAVE system, and a licence can be issued for no more than one year or until the driver's authorised stay expires, whichever comes first.
Supporters of the tighter rules argue they make roads safer. Texas DPS Major Omar Villarreal told an August 17 state transportation committee hearing: “You had people from all over the world … illegally in the United States that found an easy way to make a living driving a commercial motor vehicle.” A downgrade of a non-domiciled CDL does not by itself decide a person's immigration status or whether they can hold an ordinary driver's licence — those are separate legal questions.
Trucking is one of the largest employers of Punjabi diaspora workers in North America, and Texas — especially Houston and Dallas — is a major hub. Drivers who hold non-domiciled CDLs should check their licence status directly with Texas DPS before taking a load, because driving on a downgraded CDL can create legal exposure even if no warning letter arrived.
What is solid
- More than 6,400 Texas drivers lost commercial privileges in the downgrades — Houston Chronicle reporting.
- A tally citing federal regulators put the Texas figure at 6,407, within 30,000+ cancellations nationally — industry release citing federal data.
- The March 2026 federal rules narrowed non-domiciled CDL eligibility to H-2A, H-2B and E-2 categories with SAVE verification — FMCSA rule summary.
What is only claimed
- Individual accounts of receiving no warning letter are the drivers' own accounts reported by the Chronicle; Texas DPS has not, in the reporting cited here, confirmed or denied each case.
- Whether every downgrade was applied correctly in each individual case has not been established — affected drivers can seek review through DPS and legal advice.