The U.S. Department of Transportation made it a priority in 2025 to crack down on CDL mills. Now, the Department of Homeland Security is getting involved in the fight as well.
In a news release sent on Thursday, July 16, the DOT announced a joint operation with DHS to stop fraudulent and illegal practices at CDL schools.
The DOT said it has identified about 75 entry-level driver training schools suspected of fraudulent activities, including using improper driver certifications and failing to properly train drivers. DHS’ Homeland Security Investigations will aid the DOT in its reviews of the schools.
“USDOT has spent the last year rooting out bad actors from our trucking industry,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. “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.”
DHS has gotten involved in multiple crashes over the past year involving truck drivers who were accused of being in the country illegally.
“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 Secretary Markwayne Mullin said. “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.”
In October 2025, the DOT and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration took a hard stance against CDL mills.
“If you don’t want to follow our standards, then you need to stay out of the profession,” FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said. “If you are not following the rules, we’re going to make sure we’re going to put you out of business. We’re going to come after you.” LL
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