Trump pushes veterans to fill trucking gap left by immigrant drivers losing CDLs

The Trump administration has launched the “Freedom Haulers” campaign to recruit military veterans into trucking, aiming to replace thousands of immigrant drivers who lost their commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) this year. The initiative offers CDL waivers, training programs, and full GI Bill funding—including housing allowances—to veterans who drove heavy military vehicles. The push comes as federal enforcement of English-language requirements for truckers has removed 26,000 drivers from the road for failing proficiency tests and canceled 30,000 CDLs issued without proper verification. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy framed the effort as a way to “restore the integrity of America’s trucking industry” while addressing a critical labor shortage. The campaign will be part of a broader White House jobs initiative announced on July 27, 2026. The trucking industry, which relies heavily on immigrant drivers (about 20% of the workforce), has praised the move. Companies like Werner Enterprises and Stevens Trucking highlighted veterans’ discipline and technical skills as assets. However, legal challenges persist over new restrictions targeting non-domiciled CDLs for immigrants, with only H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 visa holders exempt. The administration’s crackdown follows high-profile crashes involving immigrant drivers, including a 2025 Florida incident where a trucker’s illegal maneuver killed three people. Veterans who recently operated military vehicles over 2.5 tons can bypass the skills test, and over 40,000 have already used this program to expedite their transition into civilian trucking.