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The federal government has finally begun to act after a string of preventable tragedies involving improperly licensed commercial truck drivers, launching emergency restrictions that sharply limit which noncitizens can obtain commercial driver’s licenses. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced immediate action to close dangerous loopholes and force states to stop issuing non-domiciled CDLs until they comply with federal rules designed to protect Americans on the highways.
Americans watched in horror when a deadly Florida crash revealed the driver could not pass a basic English and road-sign assessment, exposing how lax state practices put lives at risk. The Department of Transportation’s investigation found the trucker, Harjinder Singh, had licenses from multiple states and failed an FMCSA English proficiency test after the crash that killed three people. This is not an abstract policy debate — it is literal life-and-death evidence that laws meant to protect citizens were being ignored.
Washington, California and other sanctuary-minded jurisdictions have been in the crosshairs for months as federal officials discovered widespread violations and inconsistent enforcement of language and eligibility requirements. The DOT’s audit and subsequent emergency measures indicate that hundreds of thousands of non-domiciled commercial credentials were issued under questionable circumstances, prompting the agency to pause issuances until states clean up their procedures. This rollback is a commonsense correction to years of permissive licensing that prioritized political signaling over safety.
California’s refusal to adequately enforce English-proficiency rules has tangible consequences: the federal government has moved to withhold tens of millions of dollars in transportation funding until the state complies with safety rules. That money supports roadside inspections and programs that keep commercial transport safe for everyone, and it is shameful that governors who cloak themselves in virtue-signaling are willing to gamble with federal funds rather than admit they were wrong. Let that be a lesson: ideology cannot trump the safety of American families.
The controversy isn’t limited to the West Coast; New York recently drew fire after federal authorities questioned the validity of a CDL issued under highly irregular name documentation, raising national security and accountability concerns. When state DMVs fail to verify identities and lawful presence, they create openings for fraud and exploitation that law-abiding citizens pay for with their safety and taxes. Sanctuary policies that treat license issuance as a political reward are endangering communities and undermining rule of law.
Good-faith members of the trucking industry and safety groups have supported the crackdown, arguing that rules only work when consistently enforced and that removing unqualified operators restores accountability to the roads. Conservatives should welcome enforcement that protects hardworking American truckers from unfair competition and forces employers to raise standards and wages for qualified American drivers. This is pro-worker, pro-safety policy — the kind of common-sense governance citizens expect.
Now is the time for governors to stop playing politics with people’s lives and for Congress to finally secure the border and close the legal gaps that let dangerous loopholes fester. Enforce the rules, prioritize English proficiency and lawful presence for commercial credentials, and support America’s truckers and commuters with real accountability — not virtue signaling. The safety of our highways and the dignity of patriotic, hardworking Americans deserve nothing less.
