Sara DiNatale

California pulled immigrants’ trucking licenses. Now it can’t give them back California says the Trump administration is intentionally stalling efforts to reissue immigrant truck drivers’ licenses to keep them from ever driving professionally again.

The Trump admin claims it's for safety and points to 17 crashes and 30 deaths within this group, called non-domiciled drivers, in 2025. But that accounts for less than 0.5% of the total fatal bus and truck crashes in the United States. @sfchronicle.com

www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...

California pulled immigrants’ trucking licenses. Now it can’t give them back California says the Trump administration is intentionally stalling efforts to reissue immigrant truck drivers’ licenses to keep them from ever driving professionally again.

If they don't get their commercial licences fixed by March 16, they might not be able to get them at all. Despite having valid work permits, the Trump admin has created new rules that keep most immigrants from trucking jobs unless they have one of three visas or a green card.

These aren't drivers with DUIs or tickets. They are going through the asylum process or are here under DACA. They have families & mortages. They're school district bus drivers & business owners. Some are waiting for green cards but don't have them yet. They passed the driving tests required.

The feds have the power to decertify the state's commercial trucking program, which would mean no trucking licenses for anyone in CA. The feds still want the state to cut off those 20k licences, even though this is largely a clerical error. These drivers have valid work permits.

California pulled immigrants’ trucking licenses. Now it can’t give them back California says the Trump administration is intentionally stalling efforts to reissue immigrant truck drivers’ licenses to keep them from ever driving professionally again.

The feds told the DMV it had to cancel the licenses, which had expiration dates that didn't match work permits. Drivers were told their licences would be revoked March 6, but the state had hoped to reissue them w/ the right dates before then. The feds did not like that plan.

California says it can update the licenses for those who are eligible (which is the vast majority of them). The feds aren't satisfied with their proposals. DOT has already withheld funding ($160 million) over this mess and is threatening to keep even more ($300 million).

California pulled immigrants’ trucking licenses. Now it can’t give them back California says the Trump administration is intentionally stalling efforts to reissue immigrant truck drivers’ licenses to keep them from ever driving professionally again.

Trump admin calls these drivers "illegal aliens" but they have valid work authorization permits that were given to them by *the federal government*. But the DMV's records didn't necessarily reflect that, which led to errors. The DMV says that system miscommunication is fixed.

First off: the DMV messed up expiration dates on a chunk of licenses, which was uncovered by a federal audit. As part of that audit, the feds made California pause issuing, renewing or fixing commercial licences for certain immigrants. DMV admitted its mistake.

California pulled immigrants’ trucking licenses. Now it can’t give them back California says the Trump administration is intentionally stalling efforts to reissue immigrant truck drivers’ licenses to keep them from ever driving professionally again.

More immigrant drivers could also be affected. These are drivers whose licences expired in the last 4 months because the feds won't let the DMV do even basic renewals. Meanwhile, there's new rules rolling out that greatly limit which immigrants can do truck jobs starting March 16.

California pulled immigrants’ trucking licenses. Now it can’t give them back California says the Trump administration is intentionally stalling efforts to reissue immigrant truck drivers’ licenses to keep them from ever driving professionally again.

The California DMV says the Trump admin & its regulators are purposefully keeping it from fixing the commercial driving licenses of ~20,000 immigrant drivers. Time is running out and those drivers could soon be out of trucking forever. @sfchronicle.com
www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...

California pulled immigrants’ trucking licenses. Now it can’t give them back California says the Trump administration is intentionally stalling efforts to re-issue immigrant truck drivers’ licenses in order to keep them from ever driving professionally again.

Tens of thousands of immigrant truck drivers are on the verge of losing their licenses because of a combination of clerical errors by the California DMV and new restrictions by the Trump administration, @saradinatale.bsky.social reports
www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...

Immigrant truck drivers have become collateral damage in the state’s war with Trump The Department of Motor Vehicles plans to begin issuing the drivers new licenses this week, according to a letter obtained by the Chronicle.

After canceling 17,000 commercial drivers licenses last month under pressure from the Trump admin, California will begin reissuing licenses for immigrants with valid work permits, potentially setting up a clash with the feds, @saradinatale.bsky.social reports: www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...

Meteorologists now face a Trump ‘loyalty test’ when applying to National Weather Service jobs After firing hundreds of meteorologists, the National Weather Service announced it is filling vacant positions. Applicants are being asked to detail their support for Trump’s policies.

Scoop by @edwardsanthonyb.bsky.social @saradinatale.bsky.social

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“I won’t let my son fall through the cracks,” Cameron’s mom, Dana, told me. A year ago, Cameron found a doctor at Planned Parenthood that accepted Medicaid. Now, not only is his clinic closed but the remaining PPs in the region are sunsetting primary care altogether because of Medicaid cuts.

Our local @pbs.org station KEET-TV might be another victim of #Trump GOP war on public media.

#SavePBS
#PublicMedia
#HumboldtCountyCA

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Planned Parenthood closes 5 Northern California clinics, citing Trump budget bill Thursday’s announcement drives home the extent of the federal government’s tremendous power to impact abortion access.

Breaking news ➡️ Trump cuts to Medicaid have forced a Planned Parenthood affiliate to shutter five Northern California clinics: “It’s just not sustainable.” @sfchronicle.com
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This Northern California PBS station will lose half its budget to Trump cuts Stations like KEET-TV in Eureka could become casualties of President Donald Trump’s plan to claw back $9 billion in public broadcasting funds.

My latest story in my new job covering California politics & Trump at @sfchronicle.com. Meet the Northern California PBS station slated to lose half its budget under the federal funding cuts to public media: www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...

Camp Mystic deadly flood updates: Death toll rises to 24; 270 rescued The devastating floods have claimed 13 lives. More than 20 children are missing, and officials say more deaths are expected.

The devastating floods have claimed 24 lives. More than 20 children are missing, and officials say more deaths are expected.

Kerr County deadly flood updates: Emergency crews search for survivors The devastating floods have claimed 13 lives. Twenty children are missing, and officials say more deaths are expected.

The devastating floods have claimed 13 lives. Twenty children are missing, and officials say more deaths are expected.

Who are the Camp Mystic girls still missing after devastating floods in Texas? Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Friday during a press conference that about 23 girls were still missing after major flooding at a private Christian summer camp in Hunt.

About 23 girls were still missing after major flooding at a private Christian summer camp in Hunt, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said during a news conference.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed into law a bill requiring the Public Utility Commission to publish a consumer guide to avoiding rip-offs by rooftop solar companies. The law was inspired in part by @saradinatale.bsky.social's four-part series, "In Broad Daylight."
capitol.texas.gov/billlookup/A...

And I’ll repeat again: Solar is not a flawed technology. It works. It can help the grid immensely — as well as your own bill. But without any regulations, Texans have too often encountered ignorant to fraudulent installers looking to make a quick buck and vanish.

In Broad Daylight | ExpressNews.com

You can read my entire investigation at expressnews.com/solar

Texas bill would put financial hurt on dishonest solar sales reps The proposed law targets abuses highlighted in a San Antonio Express-News series. Installers and salespeople coul be fined up to $100K for repeat violations.

The bills still need to be voted on by the biz & commerce committee before any can move to the Senate floor and then the House. A far less intricate solar bill passed the Senate but never made it to the House last session. www.expressnews.com/business/art...

Texas bill would give customers money back on botched rooftop solar jobs It's the latest proposal in the Texas legislature to regulate solar companies. The bills aim to curb abuses exposed in a San Antonio Express-News investigation.

A separate bill was filed related to customers having actual recourse if their system fails inspection and doesn’t work so they can be refunded the costs or halt loan payments. That hasn’t been brought to committee yet. You can read more about that here: www.expressnews.com/business/art...

Another bill calls on the creation of a dedicated Texas website to give customers unbiased information on solar. Also supported by industry. No one testified against either bill. Shoutouts to the Sierra Club for offering to translate the site in Spanish. Non-English speakers are often victims.

AARP testified asking for the addition of paper copies of contracts to be a requirement. As is, elderly customers can be rushed through contracts on tablet screens without having time to carefully read over specifics or leave a physical paper trail for a caregiver to see & step in.

For context: A Solar system, supplies & labor included, should typically cost between $20k-$30k before financing. (Unless you live in a mansion.) Often the elderly on the hook for these crazy loans will never live long enough to pay them off — leaving that debt to loved ones who inherit the home.

Fintech lenders have said if the state changes the disclosure laws, they will comply. So, legislators have a chance to do just that. As is, dealer fees can wind up being up to 50% of a loan cost, with some of Texas’ most vulnerable unknowingly agreeing to a $100k over 20+ years.

The truth in lending act doesn’t specifically require the disclosure of dealer fees, which are essentially used to buy down an interest rate. The problem? Customers are rarely told that’s what’s happening and have no clue there “3%” interest rate is basically a fantasy.