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The language crackdown is part of a broader Trump administration campaign that’s upending the trucking industry, a critical pillar of the U.S. economy.

A group of state trucking associations has released an action plan identifying seven areas bad actors exploit in the industry with solutions to eliminate fraud and illegal operators.

“We are [reining] in illegal and reckless practices that let poorly trained drivers get behind the wheel of semi-trucks and school buses,” DOT Secretary Sean Duffy said.

The Nov. 8-11 dragnet, called Operation Bear Cave, focused on intercepting immigrants holding state-issued CDLs but who lacked permanent legal status driving commercial vehicles.

“To lawfully operate a commercial motor vehicle in Oklahoma, you must be here legally and you must be able to understand English," Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a Nov. 4 statement.

“The safety of our state is our top priority, and we’ll keep working with our federal partners to keep Hoosiers — and Americans — safe,” Gov. Mike Braun said.

DOT Secretary Sean Duffy has accused California of having the most “egregious” licensing situation of any state, with 25% of its non-domiciled CDLs in violation of federal rules.

Members of Congress are urging DOT to investigate so-called CDL mills and enforce English proficiency rules as part of broader efforts to improve driver training and highway safety.

Sponsored primarily by Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.), the SAFE Drivers Act is meant to guarantee commercial drivers have a proficient understanding of English.

The 2025 ATRI Top Industry Issues report, released Oct. 26, found that the economy was the top concern among industry stakeholders for the third year in a row.