In the wake of three fatal crashes involving immigrant truck drivers, Transportation Secretary Duffy says the department could pull $160 million in funding and bar the state from issuing new licenses.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned California officials that he is considering pulling $160 million in federal funding and revoking the state’s right to grant commercial driver’s licenses because it has been issuing licenses to noncitizens.
According to an article in Insurance Journal, “Duffy said Gov. Gavin Newsom has refused to comply with Department of Transportation rules that require the state to stop issuing such licenses and review those already issued.”
The issue came to prominence after several fatal crashes were caused by immigrant truck drivers. According to a spokesperson for the California Department of Motor Vehicles, “The federal government previously allowed commercial driver’s licenses for asylum seekers and refugees and on September 26 announced emergency regulations to cease this practice that went into effect on September 29. California is in compliance with these regulations and will remain in compliance with federal law.” Secretary Duffy claims the state has unlawfully issued as many as 60,000 commercial licenses.
Duffy has also said USDOT will withhold $40 million in funding for California due to the state’s failure to enforce English language requirements for truck drivers.
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