The state of Colorado could lose out on $24 million in federal highway funding if it doesn’t revoke illegally-issued commercial trucking licenses, the Trump administration is warning this week.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ripped the state for “slow walking” its effort to revoke the illegal licenses, pointing out that 22% of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) issued in the state were done so illegally.
I don’t understand the liberal mindset where these governors would allow illegal aliens to operate 18 ton trucks. It’s reckless. It puts American lives in danger.
But I will do what is in my power to prevent the loss of lives and @USDOT will not fund states that are jeopardizing… pic.twitter.com/IfmlM3FfN9
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) December 23, 2025
According to the U.S. DOT, Colorado “admitted that these violations were not accidental” and were the result of a 2016 policy to give Mexican nationals CDLs even though it’s prohibited by federal rules.
“Colorado doesn’t get to pick and choose what federal rules it follows – especially when the driving public is at risk,” Duffy said in a statement. “It’s been nearly two months since Colorado admitted that they knowingly broke the law and gave Mexican nationals trucking licenses.”
“Colorado has two options: revoke the licenses immediately, or I will pull federal funding,” he added. “Every day that goes by is another day unqualified, unvetted foreign truckers are jeopardizing the safety of you and your family.”
Duffy’s department and the Trump administration have targeted illegal aliens with CDLs driving on America’s roads and in some cases causing fatal crashes.
An audit by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) listed Colorado among states with CDL licensing “not consistent with federal regulations.” Other top offenders were California, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, told the Associated Press that the state “finished the investigation and we are conducting a final review of the findings, with letters likely going out this week to CDL holders whose credentials were improperly issued.”
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert called the number of illegal alien CDL driver “terrifying” in a post on X.
“The Rocky Mountains are unforgiving—steep grades, tight turns, and life-or-death signage demand full comprehension. Unqualified drivers in 80,000-lb rigs endanger every Coloradan,” she said. “We must enforce our laws and ensure only qualified, legal drivers operate on our roads. Colorado deserves better.”
Wyoming law enforcement last month caught 40 illegal aliens during an operation targeting illegal truck drivers crossing the state’s border with Colorado.
