US Transport Secretary Sean Duffy has threatened to withhold $160 million in federal funding from California, accusing the state of illegally issuing commercial driver's licences to non-citizens. Speaking on Fox News, Duffy said: 'Gavin Newsom cares more about giving illegals commercial drivers licenses than he does citizens of his own state and the safety of Americans. It’s shameful.' He also announced plans to revoke California's authority to issue such licences.
The move follows a Department of Transportation (DOT) audit that found 25 per cent of 145 non-domiciled commercial driver's licences (CDLs) reviewed in California were 'improperly issued'. The DOT attributed this to 'weak oversight, insufficient training, and programming errors', claiming many licences were granted to ineligible drivers or remained valid after their lawful presence in the US expired.
California spokesperson Eva Spiegel rejected the allegations, stating: 'The federal government previously allowed commercial driver's licenses for asylum seekers and refugees and on September 26 announced emergency regulations to cease this practice that went into effect on September 29. California is in compliance with these regulations and will remain in compliance with federal law.'
The audit was prompted by a series of fatal crashes involving non-domiciled drivers, including a Florida incident where an undocumented driver killed three people. The driver, Harjinder Singh, a native of India, had been issued a CDL in Washington and later in California. The DOT has also found improper licences in Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Washington.
Duffy warned other states: 'Find all improperly issued CDLs and revoke their licenses now. We owe it to the American people to ensure only lawful, qualified drivers are operating big rigs on our highways.' The Independent has contacted Governor Gavin Newsom's office for comment.
