In a coordinated effort announced in Detroit on Monday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and federal prosecutors unveiled a sweeping crackdown on commercial driver‑license (CDL) training fraud. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) removed more than 110 entry‑level driver‑training providers from its federally‑maintained Training Provider Registry and issued immediate cease‑and‑desist orders to schools that had certified drivers who later failed the required English‑language proficiency test.
Scope of the Action
The FMCSA said the providers were tied to more than 5,000 drivers who could not demonstrate the English skills mandated for safe operation of commercial motor vehicles. In addition, the agency announced plans to remove another 160 providers after investigators completed nearly 400 investigations across 40 states in July. Those investigations uncovered unlicensed instructors, missing training records, and facilities that lacked the space needed for required driving maneuvers – one provider even claimed its classroom was a school bus mounted on a trailer.
Safety Implications
While the FMCSA did not directly attribute any of the 239 commercial‑vehicle‑related fatalities linked to the 160‑plus providers to training deficiencies, the agency emphasized that proper language proficiency is a core safety requirement. Since June 2025, more than 28,000 commercial drivers have been placed out of service for failing English‑language tests, underscoring the federal government’s commitment to road safety.
Broader Law‑Enforcement Effort
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) launched a parallel national operation targeting suspected CDL fraud, unauthorized employment, identity‑document fraud, money laundering, labor exploitation, and potential connections to human smuggling, drug trafficking, and cartel activity. HSI’s August 31 surge involved over 200 driving schools and related businesses in 23 states, and the agency has already distributed more than 1,000 investigative leads and issued over 80 notices of inspection.
ICE’s Operation Guardrail, a component of the crackdown, specifically focuses on illegal aliens who hold CDLs, reinforcing the administration’s broader immigration‑enforcement priorities.
State‑Level Follow‑Up
The federal action follows a similar investigation in Texas, where Attorney General Ken Paxton opened a statewide probe in April into five trucking‑school entities accused of providing inadequate training and certifying drivers who may not meet federal English and safety standards.
These coordinated actions illustrate the Trump administration’s resolve to protect American highways, enforce immigration law, and hold fraudulent training operations accountable.
Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.
