The US Transportation Department has warned North Carolina it risks losing nearly $50 million in federal funding unless it revokes commercial driver's licences (CDLs) from immigrants who are not legally qualified to hold them.
Federal Audit Uncovers Widespread Issues
The threat follows an audit by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which reviewed 50 commercial driver's licences issued by North Carolina to immigrants. Officials found problems with more than half of them, prompting the funding ultimatum. Records indicate that 924 such licences remain unexpired in the state.
"North Carolina’s failure to follow the rules isn’t just shameful — it’s dangerous," said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The nationwide review he launched last year has now targeted nine states, including North Carolina.
A National Crackdown and Industry Reaction
The issue gained national prominence after a fatal crash in Florida in August, involving a truck driver who was not authorised to be in the US. Secretary Duffy has already pulled nearly $200 million from California over similar licensing concerns and has threatened millions in funding from Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New York, Texas, South Dakota, Colorado, and Washington.
Trucking groups have praised the federal crackdown, arguing that unqualified drivers or those who cannot speak English pose a significant safety risk when operating heavy goods vehicles. They also support moves against questionable CDL training schools.
Backlash and Legal Challenges from Immigrant Groups
However, immigrant advocacy groups argue the scrutiny is unfairly targeting certain drivers. The spotlight has fallen on Sikh truckers following the Florida crash and another fatal incident in California in October. In response, the Sikh Coalition and the Asian Law Caucus have filed a class-action lawsuit against California over its plan to revoke thousands of licences.
Separately, Tennessee announced on Thursday it is launching its own review of CDLs and will notify about 8,800 licence holders to provide proof of citizenship or a valid visa.
While immigrants account for roughly 20% of all truck drivers, the specific non-domiciled licences in question represent only about 5% of all CDLs, or approximately 200,000 drivers nationwide. The Transportation Department has proposed new restrictions limiting which noncitizens can obtain a licence, but a court has currently put those rules on hold.
