Full Breakdown
Trump Administration Shuts Down Hundreds of Trucking Schools Over English-Proficiency Fraud
9/1/2026, 8:22:06 AM
Core Action: Nationwide Closure of Trucking Schools
The U.S. Department of Transportation removed 110 commercial driver-training schools from its federal registry and ordered them to stop instruction. An additional 160 schools were cited for test-space shortages, unlicensed instructors, or other violations. The crackdown targets providers that the agency says repeatedly certified drivers who later failed federally mandated English-language proficiency tests during roadside inspections.
Background & Context
Federal law has required commercial truck drivers to demonstrate English proficiency since 1937. The Trump administration framed the action as a safety measure, linking it to crashes involving drivers who could not pass English tests. Officials said prior policy changes under earlier administrations allowed schools to self-certify compliance, creating loopholes for fraud.
Data & Statistics
- The 110 schools certified about 5,000 drivers later cited for English-proficiency violations.
- Since June 2025, the DOT has placed more than 28,000 drivers out of service for the same violations and forced states to cancel over 30,000 licenses for foreign-born drivers.
- Federal officials linked drivers from the targeted schools to 239 commercial-vehicle-related deaths.
Official Statements & Responses
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek Barrs warned that under-qualified drivers operating 80,000-pound trucks “kill people” and that the agency will continue auditing state-approved testers.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin singled out California, New York and Illinois as states where “unlawfully issued” licenses are most prevalent, arguing the closures are part of a broader effort to eliminate “dangerous foreign drivers.”
Criticism & Opposition
Immigrant-rights groups, including the Asian Law Caucus and the Sikh Coalition, say the rule lacks transparent data and worsens the truck-driver shortage while fueling anti-immigrant sentiment. They note many affected drivers have legal work authorization and strong safety records.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The DOT did not disclose how many of the 110 schools are in California. A Fox News report cited 11 schools in the state, but the agency has not confirmed this figure.
- While the administration asserts the crackdown targets schools that trained illegal-immigrant drivers, the federal release specifies the allegation concerns English-proficiency failures, not immigration status.
Verbatim Quotes
- “You have to speak English to operate a commercial motor vehicle. I didn’t create that rule, President Trump didn’t create that rule; that rule has been in place for decades. We have schools that know the rule and still pass people through their school who can’t speak the language,” — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy
- “When schools certify underqualified drivers, these drivers get behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound truck, and they kill people.” — Derek Barrs
- “By far, the worst abusers are in California under [Gov.] Gavin Newsom’s leadership,” — Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne
What’s Next
The government has launched a nationwide audit of state-approved third-party skills testers and is sending investigators to over 200 training schools across 23 states. Officials say the audit will continue through the coming months, with additional removals possible if further violations are uncovered.
