President Donald Trump signed an executive order recently requiring all commercial truck drivers in the United States to be proficient in English, for reasons of public safety and national security.
The action has elicited intense responses from Sikh advocacy communities, which warn that it will have a disproportionate impact on Sikh-American drivers and present a barrier to employment.
Titled “Executive Order Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for America’s Truck Drivers”, the order reaffirms English as the country’s “official national language” and directs federal agencies to enforce long-standing language rules that have seen lax implementation in recent years.
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“Proficiency in English should be a non-negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers,” the order states. Trump argued that commercial drivers must be able to read traffic signs, respond to law enforcement, and communicate with employers. “My administration will enforce the law to protect the safety of American truckers, drivers, passengers, and others,” Trump said.
The order mandates Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to revoke Obama-era guidance in 2016 that barred inspectors from penalizing drivers for English language infractions.
Duffy termed the earlier policy “dangerous” and added that his agency would start enforcing English proficiency requirements immediately. “This commonsense standard should have never been abandoned,” he added.
The Sikh Coalition, however, said it is “deeply concerned” about the impact of the order, particularly on the estimated 150,000 Sikhs in the US trucking industry, 90% of whom are drivers.
“Our community has played a vital role in meeting the high demand for drivers,” the group said, citing The Economist’s estimate that more than 30,000 Sikh drivers joined the industry between 2016 and 2018. “This executive order could have a discriminatory impact and create unnecessary barriers for qualified individuals.”
While federal regulations have long included English language requirements, advocates argue the sudden push to enforce them could lead to profiling or unjust disqualifications. The Sikh Coalition said it is currently reviewing the legal implications of the order.
The Department of Transportation claims failure to enforce the standard has contributed to fatal accidents in the past, but civil rights groups are expected to challenge the implementation if it results in widespread job losses or discriminatory targeting.
