UNITED SIKHS and US Law Firms Investigate Denial of Commercial Driver’s Licenses to Lawful Permanent Residents

Sacramento, California, April 22, 2026(Yes Punjab News)

UNITED SIKHS, in collaboration with law firms across the United States, has launched an investigation into a growing number of cases involving the denial or cancellation of Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) for lawful permanent residents (LPRs). These actions appear to stem from the implementation and interpretation of a federal rule issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which advocates say is being applied in ways that unfairly exclude immigrants from obtaining or maintaining CDLs.

In one case currently pending in California, a Sikh commercial driver was denied a CDL after the California Department of Motor Vehicles refused to accept his expired Permanent Resident Card (green card) along with an official notice from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) extending the card’s validity. Together, these documents establish lawful permanent resident status under federal law. Despite this, the DMV declined to issue the license.

A writ petition was filed in California in March 2025, challenging the denial. The matter is scheduled to be heard this week before the Honorable Karin Schwartz in Sacramento County Superior Court.

In a separate case under investigation in Indiana, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) has moved to cancel the CDL of a lawful permanent resident, citing discrepancies between the individual’s documentation and federal SAVE system records. The driver has been attempting to resolve the issue with USCIS for more than four years and remains in administrative limbo, unable to correct the mismatch despite repeated efforts.

UNITED SIKHS and its legal partners are evaluating potential legal remedies and policy advocacy to address these systemic barriers. The organization is also urging federal and state agencies to provide clearer guidance and ensure that valid immigration documentation, including extension notices issued by USCIS, are properly recognized in licensing decisions.