Cybersecurity Policy Report, State Coalition Sues to Stop Feds From Collecting Commercial Driver Information, (Aug 14, 2026)
Organizations Mentioned:Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
By Tony Foley
A group of 22 attorneys general and the state of Pennsylvania have filed suit against the departments of Transportation and Homeland Security to prevent the agencies from seizing the personal information of 17 million commercial drivers nationwide.
According to a press release yesterday from New York Attorney General Letitia James (D.), the Trump administration is demanding access to the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS), a nationwide database containing the personal information of CDL holders, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, and has threatened to eliminate federal funding for the state-owned system unless the information is turned over by Aug. 17.
The CDLIS is administered by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA). On July 24, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), operating under the DOT, demanded that the AAMVA provide the records at issue. When the AAMVA raised concerns about the legality of the request, the FMCSA threatened to terminate all of the AAMVA’s federal grants and contracts unless it complied. Without legal intervention, AAMVA has said it plans to turn over the records by Aug. 17 to avoid losing the funding. On Aug. 11, DHS subpoenaed the AAMVA demanding access to the CDLIS database
In its lawsuit, the coalition argues that the federal government has no legal authority to seize states’ confidential driver records and is forcing states to choose between protecting drivers’ privacy and preserving the CDLIS. It asks the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to immediately block the administration’s demand and to preserve the funding necessary to keep the CDLIS functioning. In a separate brief, the coalition asked the court to quash the DHS subpoena.
"The Trump administration is attempting to seize confidential state records without any lawful justification," AG James said. "New Yorkers provide their personal information to the state with the expectation that it will be protected, not handed over to anyone who demands it."
The lawsuit cites a variety of potential consequences should the funding be cut off, including a disruption in states’ ability to administer their CDL programs in compliance with federal law. It also alleges potential privacy concerns, noting that once records leave their control, the states will be unable to oversee how the information is used and protected. The administration has asserted that it could share the information with other federal agencies, and the suit claims that it has provided no assurances that the information would remain confidential. Accordingly, the states allege that the information demands violate the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, the Privacy Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the U.S. Constitution’s spending clause.
New York is joined in the suit by the state of Pennsylvania, and by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The press release also notes that Minnesota Attorney General Keth Ellison (D.) has joined in the brief filed against DHS.
News: StateLegislation FederalLegislation LitigationEnforcement DataPrivacy