DMV of California Has Been Sued by Indian Truckers, Find Out Why
Punjabi Sikh truck drivers are suing California's DMV after thousands of commercial licenses were improperly canceled due to expiration date issues.Summary
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) by immigrant truck drivers, primarily Punjabi Sikhs, alleging the wrongful cancellation of thousands of commercial driver’s licenses. The cancellations stemmed from a federal audit that identified licenses issued with expiration dates exceeding drivers’ legal stay limits in the U.S., initially affecting 17,000 drivers and now exceeding 20,000. The lawsuit, brought by the Sikh Coalition and the Asian Law Caucus, argues that California law mandates the DMV to rectify its own errors, either by correcting expiration dates or facilitating reapplication for proper licenses.
The DMV’s actions followed federal pressure after a fatal crash in Florida involving a Punjabi Sikh driver prompted a review of licensing rules by the Trump administration, flagging California and six other states for lenient standards. The plaintiffs claim the DMV has ceased issuing or renewing non-resident commercial licenses, leaving drivers in a precarious position regarding their livelihoods.
The lawsuit contends that the DMV should have corrected the clerical errors rather than canceling licenses, and seeks to restore the affected drivers’ ability to work and maintain their legal status.
(Source：Times Now)