Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is taking a sledgehammer to one of the most overlooked, yet dangerous scandals in our nation’s transportation system: states issuing commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to illegal aliens.
This comes just one month after a major trucking accident involving an illegal alien driver. And now, the Department of Transportation’s nationwide audit has exposed a systemic breakdown that is putting every American family at risk on our highways.
Duffy revealed on Friday that the DOT’s audit uncovered widespread abuse and incompetence by state agencies responsible for issuing CDLs. The details are beyond infuriating:
- States are failing to validate legal presence. Licenses are being issued to individuals without confirming their lawful immigration status.
- CDLs are being extended far beyond lawful presence. In some cases, licenses are valid months — even years — after a driver’s work permit has expired.
- Computer flaws and procedural errors have compounded the crisis, allowing unqualified, nondomiciled drivers to hit American roads.
Duffy didn’t hold back in his Friday announcement:
DUFFY: “We have launched a nationwide audit of nondomiciled CDLS to get the bottom of what we think in causing this crisis. Something was seriously wrong.
It was alleged that the open borders policies of the last administration has led to an exploitation of our nation’s trucking licensing system.
So I’m here to tell you that after an audit; these reports are all true!
What our audit has discovered should anger every single American.
Our audit revealed a systemic breakdown among states to follow the law and issue licenses properly. States are failing to follow even the most basic procedures.
We even uncovered widespread procedural errors, computer programming flaws, and a gross lack of oversight in the states that issue CDLs.
This means that thousands of licenses that should never have been issued actually were issued. States are issuing licenses that extend months and even years beyond a driver’s lawful presence in the US!
This is a direct incentive to stay in our country illegally beyond their authorized work permit. In some disturbing cases, they have failed to validate a driver’s lawful presence before handing them a commercial license.
It’s deeply disturbing, but even worse, our second finding was that 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.”
Read more:
In a blistering post on X, Duffy singled out California Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration:
“California is the worst offender when it comes to trucking licenses, according to @FMCSA’s ongoing audit: more than 25% of non-domiciled CDLs were issued ILLEGALLY! My message to @CAgovernor: You’re putting the safety of your citizens at risk. Fix it NOW. Here are the receipts.”
WATCH:
California is the worst offender when it comes to trucking licenses, according to @FMCSA’s ongoing audit: more than 25% of non-domiciled CDLs were issued ILLEGALLY!
My message to @CAgovernor: You’re putting the safety of your citizens at risk. Fix it NOW.
Here are the receipts… pic.twitter.com/tJaQ4QerAg
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) September 26, 2025
Instead of addressing the illegal licensing scandal, Newsom’s office tried to deflect, boasting that California’s CDL holders have a “fatal crash rate nearly 40% lower than the national average.” They even took a swipe at Texas, claiming its CDL drivers have a higher crash rate.
But that’s not what Duffy was talking about. He was pointing out blatant lawbreaking and regulatory noncompliance, not crash stats.
Newsom’s office wrote:
“It appears the Secretary of Transportation is having a challenging time understanding the road rules. Unlike him, we’ll stick to the facts: California commercial driver’s license holders have a fatal crash rate nearly 40% LOWER than the national average.
And when you look at Texas — the only state with more commercial holders — the lone star state has a rate almost 50% HIGHER than California. Facts don’t lie. But the Trump Admin does.”
Newsom is talking apples while Duffy is exposing the rotten oranges. He’s droning on about overall CDL crash rates by state, while Duffy is laser-focused on compliance with federal regulations for non-domiciled CDLs.
Duffy clapped back hard:
“What a disgusting response. No word from @CAgovernor, but his staff minions run to X to deflect from their state’s gross incompetence. You want a fact, Governor? Here’s one: California issued 25% of the state’s non-domiciled CDLs ILLEGALLY! Fix this problem or lose funding, it’s that simple.”
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a review of California’s CDL records found that one in four non-domiciled licenses were not compliant with federal regulations in 49 CFR parts 383 and 384.
What a disgusting response.
No word from @CAgovernor, but his staff minions run to X to deflect from their state’s gross incompetence.
You want a fact, Governor?
Here’s one: California issued 25% of the state’s non-domiciled CDLs ILLEGALLY!
Fix this problem or lose… https://t.co/BeyShKqxbo pic.twitter.com/2O9xsquxiD
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) September 27, 2025
Under Part 383, the federal rules define how commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) must be issued, tested, and maintained. It covers required knowledge and skills testing, categories and endorsements, disqualifications for offenses, and standards that ensure only qualified drivers operate large vehicles.
Meanwhile, Part 384 holds states accountable: it sets minimum program standards, outlines procedures for assessing state compliance, and defines consequences if a state fails to meet federal requirements.
Duffy’s audit is just the beginning. Expect more heads to roll as the DoT cracks down on this insanity. Americans deserve safe roads, not a highway to chaos courtesy of blue-state bureaucrats.
The post Sean Duffy TORCHES Gavin Newsom’s Silence: “California Issued 25% of Non-Domiciled CDLs ILLEGALLY — Fix It or Lose Federal Funding!” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.