USDOT is threatening the state with the loss of $160 million in federal funding if migrant truck drivers retain their licenses after January 5.
California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced it is extending trucking licenses for 17,000 migrant drivers who had their licenses revoked due to new federal policies by 60 days, potentially allowing the drivers time to retake tests and retain their legal status.
As Nilesh Christopher explains in the Los Angeles Times, the move potentially sets up the state for a showdown with the federal government, which threatened to cut $160 million in funding if California doesn’t revoke migrant licenses by January 5.
According to DMV Director Steve Gordon, “Commercial drivers are an important part of our economy — our supply chains don’t move, and our communities don’t stay connected without them.” An estimated 150,000 Punjabi Sikhs, a major part of the trucking industry, work in the United States, with most based on the West Coast.
Read the full story: California sets up a showdown with Washington by reissuing licenses to migrant truckers
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