Maine SOS rips order that stifles issuing of immigrant CDL licenses

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (Courtesy photo)

AUGUSTA, MAINE - The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles on Wednesday submitted comments voicing strong opposition to a federal rule that would restrict legal immigrants from holding a commercial driver license.

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced an emergency interim final rule titled ""Restoring Integrity to the Issuance of Non-Domiciled Commercial Drivers Licenses" in late September to restrict how states issue "non‑domiciled" commercial driver's licenses. A nondomiciled CDL is issued to individuals who are legally permitted to work but who are not yet permanent U.S. residents. Under the new rule, only green card holders, U.S. citizens, and certain employment-based visa holders H-2A (Temporary Agricultural Workers), H-2B (Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers), or E-2 (Treaty Investors) would be eligible for a CDL.

If the rule goes into effect, an estimated 97% of current non-domiciled CDL holders will lose eligibility nationwide and 100% of current non-domiciled CDL holders in Maine would no longer be eligible.

In addition to the comments submitted, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows issued the following statement:

"In a time of shortages of qualified CDL drivers, this rule will harm not only immigrants who are legally here but also the Maine economy. The proposal is yet another cruel attempt by the Trump administration to punish immigrants who are legally here and make their existence here as difficult as possible. The proposal will be devastating to many immigrants and their families by taking away their livelihood and will harm Maine employers who need more qualified workers in the workforce."