Eighth US location erroneously granted big rig permits to foreign residents
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced New York is the eighth state identified as routinely issuing commercial driver’s licenses to immigrants whose authorization to reside in the country has expired. Duffy threatened to withhold $73 million in federal highway funds unless New York corrects the licensing system and revokes invalid permits.
The finding follows federal audits conducted in multiple states, including California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Texas, and South Dakota. Investigators discovered licenses remaining valid beyond permitted periods and instances where immigration status was not verified before issuance.
The review was accelerated after a fatal August truck crash in Florida involving a driver without legal residency. Letters regarding licensing concerns were sent to Texas, South Dakota, Colorado, and Washington in October, though most states have defended their practices as compliant with federal rules.
In Texas, nearly half of the licenses examined were determined invalid. California has already revoked approximately 21,000 improperly issued licenses since Duffy’s intervention. The Transportation Department has threatened funding losses—up to $182 million in Texas and $160 million in California—if states fail to reform their processes.
No state has lost funds to date, as most have either complied or remain within response windows. California separately lost $40 million for not enforcing English language requirements for truckers.