The Trump administration on Friday announced emergency rule changes to make it harder for foreigners to get a commercial driver’s license in the U.S., following an ongoing audit that “uncovered systemic non-compliance across several states.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said during a news conference that the process for issuing commercial driver’s licenses is “absolutely 100% broken” and “a threat to public safety … it is a national emergency that requires action right now.”
BREAKING: Transportation Secretary Duffy announces terrifying findings of audit
– States are issuing CDL’s to people who are in our country illegally
– Thousands of licenses issued that should never have been issued
– Newscum’s California was the WORST offender
– eligibility… pic.twitter.com/f323WNlxog— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 26, 2025
The rule change comes after a Florida crash made headlines after a truck driver, Harjinder Singh, who was in the U.S. illegally, made an illegal U-turn and caused a crash that resulted in three deaths.
The new rule “limits individuals eligible for non-domiciled [commercial learner’s permits] and CDLs to foreign individuals in lawful status in the United States in certain employment-based, non-immigrant categories…” the Transportation Department said.
“What our team has discovered should disturb and anger every American,” Duffy said. “Licenses to operate a massive, 80,000-pound truck are being issued to dangerous foreign drivers – oftentimes illegally. This is a direct threat to the safety of every family on the road, and I won’t stand for it. Today’s actions will prevent unsafe foreign drivers from renewing their license and hold states accountable to immediately invalidate improperly issued licenses.”
The audit found California’s noncompliance to be “the worst and most egregious,” but also found compliance issues in Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington.
California is the worst offender when it comes to trucking licenses, according to @FMCSA’s ongoing audit: more than 25% of non-domiciled CDLs were issued ILLEGALLY!
My message to @CAgovernor: You’re putting the safety of your citizens at risk. Fix it NOW.
Here are the receipts… pic.twitter.com/tJaQ4QerAg
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) September 26, 2025
Duffy announced additional rules for California, requiring the state to pause all non-domicile CDLs and identify any unexpired non-domiciled CDLs that aren’t in compliance with federal rules, and revoke or reissue non-compliant CDLs if they meet the new rules.
DOT has 30 days to meet federal compliance or $160 million in federal highway funds for the state will be frozen, the agency said.
“California’s reckless disregard is frankly disgusting and an affront to the millions of Americans who expect us to keep them safe,” Duffy said. “California must get its act together immediately or I will not hesitate to pull millions in funding. To every other state around the country – find all improperly issued CDLs and revoke their licenses now. We owe it to the American people to ensure only lawful, qualified drivers are operating big rigs on our highways.”
