The Trump administration finalized a significant security reform on Wednesday that blocks unvetted overseas nationals from acquiring industrial driver’s licenses, ending a system that allowed tens of 1000’s of drivers with unknown or harmful histories to legally function heavy vehicles and buses in america. Division of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy stated the rule “ends a security loophole that has wreaked havoc on our roadways.”
Secretary Duffy unveiled a sweeping new federal rule geared toward shutting down a protracted‑standing security loophole that allowed unqualified overseas nationals to acquire industrial driver’s licenses in america. The rule, issued beneath President Donald Trump’s course, bars states from licensing truck and bus drivers whose driving histories can’t be verified by consular or interagency screening—closing a niche federal officers say has put harmful, unvetted drivers behind the wheel of 80,000‑pound industrial autos and contributed to a collection of lethal crashes nationwide.
“For much too lengthy, America has allowed harmful overseas drivers to abuse our truck licensing techniques – wreaking havoc on our roadways. This security loophole ends immediately,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy stated in Wednesday’s announcement. “Shifting ahead, unqualified overseas drivers will likely be unable to get a license to function an 80,000-pound massive rig. Below President Trump’s management, we’re placing the protection of the driving public first. From implementing English language requirements to holding fraudulent carriers accountable, we’ll proceed to assault this disaster on our roads head-on.”
DOT officers say the reforms tackle security considerations raised following a collection of deadly crashes involving non-domiciled CDL truck drivers. The brand new rule will allow consular and interagency screening to cease non-qualified drivers from acquiring or sustaining industrial driving permits.
The DOT reviews:
- February 14, 2025: A non-domiciled driver triggered a multi-vehicle crash inside a tunnel on I-80 in Wyoming, leading to three fatalities and 20 accidents.
- August 12, 2025: A non-domiciled driver precipitated a crash killing three individuals on the Florida Turnpike after making an attempt an unlawful U-turn.
- October 21, 2025: A non-domiciled driver didn’t cease for visitors on a California freeway, inflicting a collision involving eight autos that killed three individuals.
- December 3, 2025: A non-domiciled driver collided with a practice at a marked crossing in Ontario, California, killing a crew member.
“Whereas U.S. drivers are topic to strict checks by nationwide databases for previous violations—comparable to DUIs, reckless driving, or crash involvement—states lack the flexibility to entry the driving information of foreigners and unlawful immigrants,” DOT officers wrote. “This loophole allowed people with harmful driving histories to acquire a trucking license just by presenting an Employment Authorization Doc (EAD), which doesn’t display screen for transportation security.”
Key provisions of the ultimate rule revealed this week embrace:
- Strict Eligibility: Eligibility is restricted to H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 nonimmigrant standing holders, who bear enhanced interagency vetting.
- Elimination of EADs: EADs are not accepted as proof of eligibility because of the systemic noncompliance on the SDLAs. Candidates should current an unexpired overseas passport and particular Type I-94 documentation.
- Obligatory SAVE Verification: States should question the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system to verify each applicant’s lawful immigration standing
“A crucial security hole allowed unqualified drivers with unknown driving histories to get behind the wheel of economic autos,” stated Federal Motor Provider Security Administration (FMCSA) Administrator Derek D. Barrs. “We’re closing that hole immediately to make sure that solely certified, vetted drivers are working on our nation’s roadways. If we can not confirm your secure driving historical past, you can’t maintain a CDL on this nation.”
Breitbart Information has reported extensively on the risks to the general public on the difficulty of non-domiciled industrial truck drivers. Earlier this yr, President Donald Trump signed an government order requiring that truckers be proficient in English, Breitbart’s Nick Gilbertson reported in April.
“President Trump believes that English is a non-negotiable security requirement for skilled drivers, as they need to be capable to learn and perceive visitors indicators, talk with visitors security officers, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station personnel, and supply and obtain suggestions and instructions in English,” the doc notes.
Below the anticipated order, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will likely be directed “to rescind and change steering to strengthen inspection procedures for compliance with English proficiency necessities,” per the White Home doc.
Since September, the nationwide audit has resulted in exposing systemic non-compliance in issuing non-domiciled CDLs throughout a number of states–together with New York, California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Colorado, and North Carolina, DOT officers said.
Many states took fast motion to adjust to the president’s government order and the DOT’s efforts to take away these harmful drivers from our roadways.
Oklahoma regulation enforcement officers teamed up with Immigration and Customs Enforcement groups to arrest 70 unlawful aliens in an operation concentrating on freeway sweeps, Breitbart Texas reported. The November sweep eliminated not less than 34 illegal drivers from the highways. Many obtained their CDLs from states together with California, Illinois, and New York, regardless of missing authorized standing or primary English proficiency.
In September, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the Division of Public Security to “strictly implement English proficiency necessities for industrial drivers. The order adopted Breitbart Texas’s protection of the Lone Star State, which led the nation in eradicating truck drivers from service for not being proficient in English.
On September 1, Breitbart Texas reported that Texas led the nation within the share of economic driver’s license holders receiving “out of service” orders for not being proficient in studying and talking English. Governor Abbott’s spokesman, Andrew Mahaleris, responded to an inquiry from Breitbart, saying, “Governor Abbott expects trucking corporations in Texas to totally adjust to President Trump’s Government Order. Public security is precedence #1, and we should be sure that truckers are in a position to navigate Texas roadways safely and effectively.”
Since then, Texas has launched a crackdown on these truck drivers. Texas has dropped to fifth place, behind California, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Florida.
“Whereas liberal states like California problem licenses to unlawful immigrants and danger the lives of People, Texas will work with our federal companions to take care of secure roads and apprehend unlawful immigrants to guard our communities,” Governor Abbott stated in a latest assertion.
California Governor Gavin Newsom defied orders from the DOT to take away non-domiciled drivers from the nation’s highways, Breitbart’s Warner Todd Huston reported.
California has been caught crimson‑handed, main the nation in unlawfully issuing industrial driver’s licenses to overseas nationals, with federal regulators blasting Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration for placing politics above public security and fueling lethal crashes on America’s highways.
Following an October crash close to Los Angeles that left three individuals lifeless, allegedly by the hands of a California non-domiciled CDL driver, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a scathing report in regards to the risks of Governor Newsom’s coverage of ignoring federal regulation. California issued roughly 60,000 non-domiciled CDLs. Overdrive.com reviews that 25 p.c of those are improperly licensed. Many of those licenses expire nicely previous the expiration of the driving force’s immigration standing.
“It will have by no means occurred if Gavin Newsom had adopted our new guidelines,” Duffy wrote within the report. “California broke the regulation and now three persons are lifeless and two are hospitalized. These individuals deserve justice. There will likely be penalties.”
A blistering Division of Transportation audit revealed that one in 4 of the state’s non‑domiciled CDLs had been issued improperly, with some legitimate till 2030 regardless of immigration paperwork expiring years earlier. Federal regulators say reckless licensing practices have already contributed to lethal crashes, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is now threatening to withhold a whole lot of thousands and thousands in freeway funds from California except Newsom reverses course.
The ultimate rule marks some of the sweeping federal crackdowns on unvetted industrial drivers in a long time, closing a loophole that federal officers say has repeatedly put the general public in danger and contributed to lethal crashes throughout the nation. By eliminating using Employment Authorization Paperwork, mandating Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) verification, and limiting eligibility to totally vetted nonimmigrant classes, the Trump administration is transferring to make sure that solely certified, legally approved drivers function industrial vehicles and buses on America’s highways.
As states scramble to conform and federal audits proceed to show widespread licensing failures, DOT officers say the message is now unmistakable: drivers with unverifiable histories will not be allowed behind the wheel of an 80,000‑pound car, and the period of harmful, non‑domiciled CDL holders slipping by the system is coming to an finish.
Bob Value is the Breitbart Texas-Border staff’s affiliate editor and senior information contributor. He’s an unique member of the Breitbart Texas staff. Value is an everyday panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Level? Sunday morning discuss present. He additionally serves as president of Blue Marvel Gun Care Merchandise.
