Transportation Sec. Duffy Takes Emergency Action To Protect Americans From Non-Domiciled CDL Crisis On Highways

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced an emergency crackdown on non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and learner’s permits (CLPs) after a nationwide audit confirmed what ZeroHedge readers have known for months: some sanctuary states have allowed illegal aliens behind the wheel of 80,000-pound big rigs, creating both a public safety crisis on highways and a national security threat.

This incident is horrific and beyond unacceptable. @USDOT & @FMCSA are prepared to take the necessary measures to crack down on non-citizen truck drivers and restore safety to our roadways.

Tune in tomorrow morning at 8:30 ET for a major announcement on non-domiciled CDLs. https://t.co/5nsDPTvCww

— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) September 25, 2025

Three months after the trucking advocacy group American Truckers United (ATU) delivered a letter to Duffy and posted it on ZeroHedge, recommending urgent federal action to ban non-domiciled CDLs to illegals, ATU has been proven right: illegal labor, exploiting Biden-Harris regime era loopholes, has transformed the nation’s highways into a giant mess. Just watch the video above…

Vindicated https://t.co/nR9K9dln7A pic.twitter.com/qxk1uM31qk

— American Truckers (@atutruckers) September 27, 2025

MUST WATCH

Today we announced action to:

Dramatically restrict which non-citizens are eligible for CDLs.

Push states to pause the issuance of these licenses until they comply.

https://t.co/KwbHROnkHJ

— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) September 26, 2025

Now, Duffy’s DoT issued a „new rule that closes dangerous loopholes, holds states accountable, and launches immediate enforcement action against California for gross negligence” in handing out non-domiciled CDLs to illegals „like candy.”

Summary of the new rule:

• Non-citizens are no longer eligible for non-domiciled CDLs unless they hold an employment-based visa.

• Mandatory immigration status checks via the federal SAVE system will be required.

• States must immediately revoke and reissue improperly issued CDLs that fail to meet new federal standards.

The ongoing nationwide audit by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) found that a series of horrific, fatal highway crashes were caused by illegals operating big rigs this year.

„The audit has uncovered both a catastrophic pattern of states issuing licenses illegally to foreign drivers, as well as the fact that even if the current regulatory framework is followed, it can fail. The confluence of these two factors has created an imminent hazard on America’s roadways that must be fixed,” the DoT stated.

„What our team has discovered should disturb and anger every American,” Duffy stated, adding, „Licenses to operate a massive, 80,000-pound truck are being issued to dangerous foreign drivers – often times 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.”

DoT’s enforcement actions against California:

• California must pause issuance of non-domiciled CDLs.

• Identify and revoke all invalid licenses.

• Failure to comply within 30 days will result in withheld federal highway funds, starting at $160 million in year one and doubling in year two.

Other states:

• Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington were also cited for violations.

Duffy pointed out, „California’s reckless disregard is frankly disgusting and an affront to the millions of Americans who expect us to keep them safe.”

ZeroHedge and ATU have been leading the charge this year with coverage on this public safety crisis, national security threat on highways that is a byproduct of failed globalists’ open border policies during the Biden-Harris regime years:

• Advocacy Group Calls For U.S. Probe On Non-English Speaking Migrant Truck Drivers After Deadly Austin Crash

• Biden Handed Out CDLs Like Candy… Now U.S. Highways Are A Public Safety & National Security Nightmare

• Rolling Risk: Unvetted Migrants Behind The Wheel Of Big Rigs Threaten U.S. Safety & Security

• From North America To Australia, Migrant Truckers Are Fueling A Highway Safety Crisis

• English Trucking Rule Takes Effect, Federal Probe Begins Of Sanctuary State Migrant CDL Pipeline

• Letter Urges Transportation Sec. Duffy To Ban Foreign CDLs Amid Series Of Highway Crashes

• Highway Mayhem: Trucker From Sanctuary State Illinois Arrested After Baltimore Shooting Spree

• Walmart, Amazon Truck Depots Display Multilingual Signs, Raising Alarms Over Migrant Drivers With No English

• Watch: American Truckers United Issues Dire Warning On 'Unsafe’ Highways Amid Flood Of Migrant Drivers, Crashes

• Florida Highway Horror: Migrant Truck Driver Leaves 3 Americans Dead Amid CDL Crisis

• Illegal Alien Behind Fatal Florida Big Rig Crash; Sec. Duffy Signals Major Action On CDL Crisis

• „This Cannot Happen Again”: Sec. Duffy Readies Major Action Against Rogue States Amid Migrant CDL Crisis

• U.S. „Pauses Issuance Of Worker Visas For Truckers” To Address Illegal Alien CDL Crisis Killing Americans

. . .