Trump Administration Probes 75 CDL Schools Suspected of Fraudulent Qualifications

The Trump administration said Thursday it is investigating approximately 75 entry-level truck driver CDL schools suspected of helping non-citizen drivers obtain commercial driver’s licenses through fraudulent qualifications.

The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation announced the joint operation on July 16, 2026. Investigators are examining schools across the United States that may have bypassed federal and state safety requirements.

Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative arm of DHS, is working with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, or FMCSA. State and local law enforcement agencies are also supporting the effort.

The alleged misconduct includes falsified training and safety records. Investigators are also examining certifications issued without required testing, inadequate instruction and fraud involving non-domiciled CDLs.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin linked the inquiry to roadway safety and the administration’s immigration enforcement priorities.

“Too many American lives have been lost in completely avoidable accidents because illegal aliens have been granted commercial driver's licenses to drive trucks and 18-wheelers on America's roadways. DHS law enforcement is partnering with the Department of Transportation to eliminate CDL fraud, strengthen the integrity of the CDL system, and investigate commercial driver's license schools throughout the country. This is a whole-of-government approach, to keep America's roads safe.”

Mullin said the agencies would combine DHS law enforcement with transportation oversight. The operation targets both the schools that provide training and the records used to qualify applicants.

The investigation reaches beyond individual drivers

FMCSA identified the approximately 75 entry-level driver training schools under investigation. The agency oversees the National Training Provider Registry, which lists schools authorized to provide required commercial driver training.

Schools found to have participated in fraud may be removed from the registry. That would end their ability to legally train CDL applicants. Owners and operators could also face federal criminal charges for fraud and conspiracy.

Drivers who received licenses through the schools may face immediate cancellation of those licenses. The administration says it has already canceled over 28,000 licenses illegally issued to foreign drivers during the preceding 12 months.

The inquiry therefore has two tracks. HSI can pursue potential criminal conduct, while FMCSA can use its regulatory authority against training providers and licensing records.

Duffy cites a yearlong trucking crackdown

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the school investigation builds on enforcement actions taken during the past year.

“USDOT has spent the last year rooting out bad actors from our trucking industry. We've knocked over 24,000 drivers off our roads for failing to speak English, forced states to cancel over 28,000 licenses illegally issued to foreign drivers, and purged over 9,500 unqualified training schools from our FMCSA registry. DHS will be a force multiplier of our efforts to clean up America's roads. President Trump is using every lever at his disposal to ensure the safety of American families.”

Duffy’s figures include more than 24,000 drivers removed from the roads for failing to speak English. They also include over 9,500 training schools purged from the FMCSA registry.

Those enforcement figures cover the broader trucking crackdown, while the new operation focuses on approximately 75 schools suspected of fraudulent qualification practices.

Non-domiciled CDL records are part of the review

Investigators are examining whether schools improperly helped applicants obtain non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses. The allegations include issuing certifications without the required tests and recording training that applicants did not adequately complete.

The administration has emphasized language proficiency and residency requirements as part of its safety concerns. Its stated strategy joins criminal investigations with regulatory action to target networks involved in immigration and licensing fraud.

Safety experts cited in reports estimate that upwards of 130,000 illegal-alien truck drivers may be operating in the United States. That estimate points to the possibility of additional license reviews as the school investigations continue.

The government has not described the 75 schools as guilty. The facilities remain subjects of investigation, while possible cancellations, registry removals and criminal cases depend on the findings.

The registry will show which providers remain eligible

The FMCSA maintains an official Training Provider Registry for CDL training providers. Removal from that registry would prevent a school from legally training new applicants.

The joint effort follows the administration’s stated whole-of-government approach to the trucking industry. DHS law enforcement and transportation regulators are now examining the schools, their records and the licenses connected to them.