Maryland AG Joins Multi-State Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over CDL Driver Immigration Data

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown, alongside a coalition of 21 other attorneys general and the state of Pennsylvania, has filed two lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s demand for sensitive personal information belonging to millions of commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders. The administration has reportedly threatened to withhold over $10 million in federal funding to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) unless this data is provided.

The legal actions, filed against the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), its Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), assert that these federal agencies are violating federal privacy laws. According to the lawsuits, the agencies are allegedly creating their own database using information obtained from AAMVA without adequate safeguards for the protection or sharing of drivers’ Social Security numbers and other personal details. Furthermore, the public has reportedly not been given notice of these actions. The states involved argue that this data belongs to them and that the federal government cannot compel its handover without a clear legal justification.

The Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) was established by Congress in 1986 to facilitate the exchange of information among states regarding CDL applicants, including their licensing status in other states. Since 1988, the DOT has contracted with AAMVA, a private nonprofit, to manage CDLIS on behalf of the states. The process for approving a CDL application involves states verifying a driver’s identity, medical fitness, immigration status, and their licensing and driving history across all states. This responsibility for public safety is maintained by the states, not the federal government. Once a license is issued, states retain records in CDLIS, which include personally identifiable information such as names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and the issuing state.

The FMCSA issued a directive to AAMVA requesting all data for every driver in CDLIS dating back five years. When AAMVA expressed reservations about this directive, the FMCSA reportedly threatened to terminate all federal grants and contracts with the organization. Such a termination could potentially halt CDLIS operations entirely. In response to this pressure, Attorney General Brown and the coalition are seeking an emergency court order to prevent the release of this data. Concurrently, DHS has reportedly issued an administrative subpoena to AAMVA demanding the same dataset. Attorney General Brown has a history of joining legal challenges against the Trump administration concerning the alleged improper use of Americans’ personal data, particularly in the context of immigration enforcement.

The coalition challenging these demands includes the attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, in addition to Pennsylvania.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Maryland Attorney General’s Office.

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