The Trump administration is escalating an immigration crackdown on commercial truck drivers, forcing the closure of nearly 300 driving schools and demanding licensing data from states. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the emergency shutdown of schools he said failed to train drivers properly, citing 110 schools with disproportionate English-language proficiency failures and 160 with inadequate facilities. "There's a new sheriff in town," Duffy said at a Detroit news conference. About 200,000 immigrants hold commercial driver's licenses, representing 5% of all license holders, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

The administration is targeting drivers whose visas or work permits may have expired, citing high-profile fatal crashes involving noncitizen drivers as justification. In a July operation across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio, DHS took 766 unsafe drivers and vehicles out of service, detained 51 immigrants allegedly in the U.S. illegally, and issued 36 English proficiency violations. Democratic-led states including California, Illinois and Minnesota have resisted cooperation, arguing state licensing systems aren't intended for immigration enforcement.

Freight companies report the crackdown has worsened a driver shortage, with some tripling recruiting efforts and raising wages to attract drivers.