LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel is celebrating a court victory that temporarily prevents the Trump administration from obtaining millions of commercial driver’s license (CDL) records – records federal officials say could help identify improperly licensed truckers and keep them off America’s highways.

Nessel joined a coalition of attorneys general challenging a demand from the Department of Transportation and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for roughly 17 million state-owned commercial driver records maintained in the Commercial License Information System (CDLIS). The coalition also challenged a separate U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) subpoena seeking CDL records as part of investigations into fraudulent driving schools, licenses issued to illegal aliens, and immigration enforcement.

Safety, fraud and immigration enforcement

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The Trump administration’s stated goal isn’t exactly mysterious. According to federal letters quoted in the court’s order, FMCSA said it wants the records to oversee the national commercial driver’s license program, enforce safety rules and “help prevent fatal trucking accidents” involving drivers who were improperly issued commercial licenses.

DHS said its request was connected to investigations involving fraudulent CDL schools, licenses issued to illegal aliens and civil immigration enforcement.

Nessel sees the federal demands differently, arguing the government is trying to obtain large amounts of sensitive personal information, including names, birth dates, driver’s license numbers and Social Security numbers. For now, a federal judge agrees the states have raised serious legal concerns.

Nessel gets a temporary win in court

The judge found the states are likely to succeed in arguing that FMCSA’s demand for the bulk transfer of the CDLIS records is unlawful.

The court also temporarily stopped the Trump administration from terminating more than $10 million in federal funding and contracts with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) if it refuses to turn over the requested records.

The legal fight isn’t over. The next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 10.