In one of the most sweeping enforcement actions targeting the commercial trucking industry in recent memory, the U.S. Departments of Transportation, Homeland Security, and Justice announced a coordinated, multi-agency campaign to root out fraud in CDL training, testing, and issuance. The announcement, made in Detroit, Michigan, involved Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs, the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, and U.S. Attorneys from the Eastern District of Michigan and Northern District of Indiana.
The centerpiece of the announcement is the formation of Joint Task Force Crossroads of America, a multi-state partnership uniting U.S. Attorney's Offices in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio with state and local prosecutors and federal agencies including FMCSA, FBI, DEA, HSI, ICE, and ATF. The effort targets criminal networks and systemic fraud that have allowed unqualified, non-English-proficient drivers to obtain commercial driver's licenses and operate on U.S. highways.
Here's a breakdown of what was announced and what it means for the industry:
FMCSA Enforcement Actions: What Happened
Action I: Emergency Removal of 110+ Training Providers
FMCSA cross-referenced roadside inspection records (specifically, citations for English Language Proficiency (ELP) violations) against its Training Provider Registry (TPR). The agency identified more than 110 Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) providers that repeatedly certified drivers who failed to meet federal ELP standards. Those providers have been immediately removed from the TPR and must cease all training operations, including curriculum delivery, facility use, and behind-the-wheel instruction.
Action II: 40-State Investigation Results in 160+ Proposed Removals
In July, FMCSA deployed 175 investigators across 40 states to conduct nearly 400 investigations of ELDT providers. The investigations uncovered serious compliance failures, including:
Inadequate range space — training ranges too small to complete required maneuvers
Unlicensed instructors — instructors without proper licensing to conduct training
Missing documentation — facilities with no records of assessments or training
Fraudulent classrooms — at least one provider claimed their classroom was inside a school bus parked in the back of a trailer
These investigations resulted in more than 160 notices of proposed removal from the TPR. FMCSA has connected drivers certified by these providers to 239 commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities.
Action III: Nationwide Audit of Third-Party CDL Skills Testers
FMCSA is launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers and state oversight programs. Since June 2025, more than 28,000 drivers have been placed out of service for ELP violations.
Under federal regulations, CDL skills tests must be administered in English. FMCSA holds states accountable for the third-party testers they authorize. The agency's enforcement ladder for non-compliant states includes:
Annual review of the state's CDL program
Issuance of a formal noncompliance notification to the state's Governor and State Driver Licensing Agency (SDLA)
A 30-day window for the state to develop a Corrective Action Plan (CAP)
A final determination of substantial noncompliance, triggering federal highway funding withholding starting at up to 4% in year one, increasing to 8% in subsequent years
Decertification, which would prevent a state from issuing, renewing, transferring, or upgrading any CDLs
The potential withholding of federal highway funds is a significant lever, one the FMCSA has used more readily in the past year.
DHS and HSI Operations
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is leading a national criminal investigation initiative focused on CDL fraud, unauthorized employment, identity-document fraud, financial crime, money laundering, labor exploitation, and potential links to human smuggling, drug trafficking, and cartel activity.
Key DHS actions include:
A synchronized surge at more than 200 driving schools across 23 states on August 31, 2026, consisting of Notices of Inspection
Dissemination of over 1,000 CDL-related business leads to field offices
More than 80 Notices of Inspection already issued, with multiple investigations opened
Active HSI investigations include probes into trucking companies using B1/B2 visa holders for domestic cargo transport, state DMV employees accepting payments to bypass CDL requirements, medical practitioners improperly certifying CDL medical exams, and companies engaged in labor exploitation and drug trafficking linked to CDL businesses.
Additionally, ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is conducting field operations including:
Operation ICE Wall — targeting trucking companies and drivers with final orders of removal
Operation Guardrail — focused on illegal aliens holding commercial driver's licenses
Operation Freightliner — a multi-jurisdictional operation using 287(g) partnerships to identify and interdict aliens operating commercial vehicles unlawfully
Department of Justice: Joint Task Force Crossroads of America
The DOJ's Joint Task Force Crossroads of America formalizes the interagency effort under a prosecutorial framework. The task force unites U.S. Attorney's Offices in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio and is designed to:
Enhance roadway safety and reduce fatalities and serious injuries
Deter illegal trucking practices
Promote consistent, data-driven enforcement across jurisdictions
Prosecute individuals and entities engaged in CDL fraud and related criminal activity
Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the Department of Justice will no longer give a pass to "drivers and companies that allow for this dangerous activity," signaling that enforcement will extend to carriers — not just training schools and fraudulent actors.
The Broader Enforcement Context
While this campaign is aimed squarely at fraudulent actors, legitimate carriers have reason to pay close attention. Enforcement of this scale often produces ripple effects across the industry:
Verify Your Drivers' Training Credentials
We recommend carriers that hire CDL holders confirm that their drivers' Entry-Level Driver Training was completed through a training provider currently listed in FMCSA's Training Provider Registry. With more than 110 providers removed and 160+ more facing proposed removal, drivers trained through those entities may create some unique exposure. Carriers should document their due diligence in this regard.
Audit Your Driver Qualification Files for ELP Compliance
Federal regulations under 49 CFR Part 391 require that CDL drivers be able to read and speak English sufficiently to understand highway traffic signs, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records. If a driver in your fleet cannot meet that standard, you face liability regardless of whether the CDL was issued with the underlying fraud happening elsewhere in the system. Check out our ELP resources if you need assistance.
Expect Heightened Roadside Scrutiny
With FMCSA, ICE, HSI, and state law enforcement coordinating joint inspection checkpoints, particularly in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Florida, Maine, and Wisconsin, carriers operating in those corridors should expect more frequent roadside inspections and enhanced scrutiny of driver documentation and ELP. Ensure all drivers have current, valid medical certificates and that ELP is not in question.
Third-Party Testers Are Under the Microscope
If your company uses or has historically relied on third-party CDL skills testers, it is worth reviewing whether those testers remain in good standing. A disqualified tester or a state CDL program flagged for noncompliance could create retroactive questions about the validity of your drivers' licenses and your safety/compliance posture in highway accident litigation.
What This Means Going Forward
The scale of this interagency effort signals that enforcement in the CDL and trucking compliance space is entering a fundamentally different phase. The administration has reported removing more than 28,000 drivers from roads for ELP violations, forcing states to cancel over 30,000 licenses issued to foreign drivers, and removing over 8,000 unqualified training schools from the FMCSA registry over the past year and a half.
The standards that have always been on the books are now being enforced more aggressively. Carriers that have maintained rigorous driver qualification practices, verified training credentials, and kept detailed records are well positioned. Those who have taken shortcuts, whether knowingly or through negligence, face real exposure as this enforcement environment intensifies.
From states failing to follow the law to shady training schools and illicit companies, together we will tackle every link in the chain. — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy
Trucksafe will continue monitoring developments from Joint Task Force Crossroads of America, FMCSA's TPR enforcement actions, and the ongoing HSI and ERO operations. If you have questions about your fleet's driver qualification file compliance, ELDT provider status, or ELP documentation practices, contact our team.
