Secretary Duffy said, “The system has failed, and it’s a national emergency.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has issued an emergency rule changing the non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) and commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) eligibility for foreign applicants.
Secretary Duffy stated that an audit from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) found “several states fail to follow safety standards for commercial driver’s licenses, putting Americans at risk. Our new rules will ensure our roads are SAFE and push states into compliance.” He called the current regulations and eligibility requirements “deeply flawed and way too broad.”
Secretary Duffy said, “Thousands of licenses that should never have been issued… this is a direct incentive to stay in our country illegally beyond their authorized work permit.”
The American Truckers Union recently posted dash cam footage of a tragic semi crash in 2023, in which a Chinese national, who had obtained his CDL in California, drove a semi into an SUV in stopped traffic in New Mexico, crushing it into the tractor-trailer ahead. The union questioned how many crashes have gone unreported and how many non-English-speaking foreign nationals have obtained CDLs from states such as California.
The transportation secretary continued, “The current federal regulations are allowing dangerous, unqualified drivers on American roadways. This means that even when the rules are being followed, dangerous individuals who shouldn’t be near a big rig are getting behind the wheel and causing crashes on our roadways.”
States that illegally issue CDLs will face the withdrawal of federal transportation funding.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Duffy as he takes action to halt the issuance of CDLs to ineligible applicants.
- For U.S. transportation officials as they seek to ensure and enforce compliance with eligibility requirements from the states.
Sources: Department of Transportation, Townhall
