FMCSA, Homeland Security announce joint operation to investigate CDL schools

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today announced a joint operation with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expand its mission to investigate fraudulent and illegal practices in commercial driver’s license (CDL) training schools.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has identified approximately 75 entry-level driving training schools suspected of fraudulent activities, including:

• Using improper driver certifications
• Falsifying training records
• Failing to properly train drivers applying for CDLs

DHS said USDOT will engage its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division to identify and address fraud regarding the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs to illegal aliens.

HSI and FMCSA, along with state and local partners, will focus on preserving the integrity of the CDL system, including maintaining high standards in CDL training and preventing fraud, in order to ensure that only qualified individuals operate commercial vehicles.

“USDOT has spent the last year rooting out bad actors from our trucking industry,” said Sean P. Duffy, U.S. Transportation Secretary. “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.”

Collaboration aims to strengthen CDL system integrity

In December 2025, USDOT announced the removal of CDL training providers from the FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry for failing to equip trainees with the Trump Administration’s standards of readiness.

As of June 16, nearly 10,000 schools have been removed.

In February 2026, USDOT announced more than 550 CDL training schools found in violation of the FMCSA’s standards of safety were sent notices of proposed removal from its national training provider registry.

This latest effort is part of the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to root out fraud from American trucking and restore integrity to the industry.

“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,” said Markwayne Mullin, DHS Secretary. “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.”