Overview
- The Sikh Coalition and Asian Law Caucus filed a class-action lawsuit in California seeking to halt planned cancellations of non‑domiciled commercial driver’s licenses set to begin on January 5, 2026.
- California’s DMV sent 60‑day notices to 17,299 drivers on November 6 after a federal audit flagged expiration‑date mismatches, with total notices now exceeding 20,000 and another roughly 2,700 targeted for mid‑February.
- The complaint says state law requires the DMV to correct its own expiration‑date errors or allow reapplication, yet the agency has not reissued licenses or created a remedy process despite earlier indications it would start reissuing on December 17.
- Federal scrutiny by the DOT and FMCSA includes threats to withhold as much as about $160 million in transportation funds and reviews in multiple states as part of a broader enforcement push that also tightened English‑proficiency checks.
- Advocates say Punjabi Sikh drivers make up a large share of those affected and warn of profiling and potential supply‑chain disruptions, with industry estimates projecting major driver losses if stricter rules persist.