Overview
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned he will block $160 million in federal highway funds from California and said the state could lose its authority to issue commercial driver’s licenses.
- The DOT previously halted about $40 million to California over what it called failures to enforce English‑proficiency rules for commercial drivers.
- Emergency measures issued in late September require states to verify immigration status through federal systems, limit eligible visa categories for non‑citizens, and meet a short compliance deadline.
- A nationwide FMCSA review reported improperly issued CDLs in multiple states and identified California as the most egregious case, with Duffy alleging tens of thousands of unlawful licenses.
- California officials say the DMV uses federal SAVE checks, contend the state is in compliance with federal law, and argue their commercial driver crash rates are below national averages, as Florida’s attorney general pursues related legal action against California and Washington.