Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy delivered another powerful blow for road safety and the rule of law, exposing that 53% of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) sampled in New York were issued illegally to foreigners — a shocking failure rate that led directly to the withholding of $73.5 million in federal highway funding from the deep-blue state.
In a nationwide FMCSA audit of non-domiciled CDL programs, New York emerged as the worst offender among states reviewed. Out of 200 sampled records, 107 — over 53% — were issued in clear violation of federal law. Many of these licenses were granted for a full eight years, even when the holder’s work authorization, visa, or legal presence in the United States was set to expire in as little as 60 days or less.
New York issued approximately 32,606 to 33,000 such questionable non-domiciled CDLs and commercial learner’s permits (CLPs), far outpacing other states in volume and noncompliance. Federal regulations require that commercial licenses for non-domiciled (foreign) applicants align strictly with their lawful authorization to work and be present in the U.S. — a basic safety and immigration enforcement standard that New York’s DMV repeatedly ignored.
Secretary Duffy didn’t hold back, calling the situation a “total collapse” in the administration of New York’s CDL program. He highlighted how the state routinely failed to verify work authorization or immigration status properly, issuing long-term commercial licenses to individuals whose legal right to operate heavy trucks had already lapsed or never fully existed under federal rules.
This isn’t a minor paperwork issue. Improperly licensed foreign drivers behind the wheel of 80,000-pound commercial trucks pose a direct threat to American families on the highways. The crackdown was accelerated after horrific crashes, including a deadly incident in Florida involving an illegal immigrant truck driver, which prompted Duffy to launch the broad audit.
When given a 30-day deadline to review and revoke the illegally issued licenses, Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration refused to comply fully, defended its lax practices, and claimed it had followed the rules. That defiance forced Duffy’s hand: on April 16, 2026, the FMCSA formally withheld $73,502,543 — roughly 4% of New York’s federal highway funding — with the explicit warning that more cuts, potentially another $147 million, could follow if the state continues to drag its feet.
New rules finalized by the Trump administration are expected to prevent 97% of these improperly issued non-domiciled licenses going forward, closing dangerous loopholes that allowed unqualified or unauthorized drivers to operate big rigs across state lines.
Immigrants make up about 20% of the nation’s truck drivers overall, but non-domiciled CDLs represent only a small fraction — roughly 5% or about 200,000 drivers nationwide. The audit made clear that states like New York had turned this narrow category into a wide-open backdoor for noncompliance.
Duffy has emphasized that this action isn’t about punishing states — it’s about protecting American lives. “American families deserve to be safe on the road,” he stated, underscoring that federal highway dollars come from U.S. taxpayers and should not subsidize reckless policies that prioritize foreign drivers over public safety.
New York officials whined that past audits under previous administrations gave them a pass, but the Trump DOT made it clear: the era of looking the other way is over. Similar pressure has already prompted compliance moves in states like California under Gavin Newsom.
This decisive enforcement aligns perfectly with President Trump’s America First priorities — securing borders, enforcing immigration law, and ensuring only qualified, legally authorized drivers operate commercial vehicles on our highways. When blue states choose sanctuary-style leniency over basic federal compliance, there must be real consequences.
The 53% illegal issuance rate in New York isn’t just embarrassing — it’s dangerous.
