President Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has hit deep-blue New York with a massive $73.5 million cut in federal highway funding after Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration stubbornly refused to revoke thousands of illegally issued commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) handed out to illegal immigrants and foreign drivers whose work authorizations had expired.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced on April 16, 2026, that it is withholding $73,502,543 — representing about 4% of New York’s federal highway dollars — due to the state’s “substantial noncompliance” with federal law. This comes after a nationwide audit exposed shocking failures in New York’s CDL program for non-domiciled (foreign) applicants.
The audit sampled 200 records and found that more than 53% — 107 out of 200 — of the commercial licenses issued to foreigners in New York were granted illegally. Many of these licenses were valid for a full eight years, even when the holder’s temporary work authorization or visa was set to expire in just 60 days or less. New York reportedly issued around 32,606 to 33,000 such questionable non-domiciled CDLs and CLPs, making it one of the worst offenders among states.
Instead of immediately reviewing and revoking the invalid licenses as ordered by the Department of Transportation, Hochul’s team dug in their heels, defended their lax practices, and failed to come into compliance within the 30-day deadline. Secretary Duffy made it crystal clear: American families deserve to be safe on the roads, not endangered by unqualified drivers operating 80,000-pound big rigs.
This crackdown was triggered in part by a horrific August 2025 crash in Florida, where an illegal immigrant truck driver made an illegal U-turn, killing three people. That tragedy prompted Duffy to launch a nationwide review of non-domiciled CDLs, revealing how blue states like New York and others had been turning a blind eye to federal requirements that drivers must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.
Duffy has emphasized that immigrants make up about 20% of all truck drivers nationwide, but these improperly issued non-domiciled licenses represent a dangerous loophole that puts everyone at risk — from families on the highway to the truckers themselves. New rules finalized by the Trump administration are expected to prevent 97% of these foreign drivers from obtaining or keeping such licenses going forward.
New York officials, including Hochul, have whined that they were following the rules and even claimed past audits under previous administrations backed them up. But the facts don’t lie: issuing long-term CDLs to people whose legal status in America has expired is not just sloppy — it’s a direct violation of federal motor carrier safety standards and common sense.
This isn’t the first time the Trump team has used the power of the purse to enforce sanity on sanctuary-style policies. Similar pressure has been applied to other states, and California’s Gavin Newsom reportedly began complying after facing his own threats. Duffy has made it plain he wants to work with states, not fight them — but he won’t hesitate to protect American roads when governors prioritize illegal immigrants over public safety.
Critics on the left are already screaming about “punishing” New York and trying to paint this as political retaliation. The reality is far simpler: when states break federal law and endanger lives by letting unqualified illegal immigrants behind the wheel of commercial trucks, there must be consequences. Federal highway money comes from American taxpayers — it should not subsidize reckless policies that undermine border security and highway safety.
By withholding these funds, Secretary Duffy is sending a loud message to sanctuary jurisdictions: enforce the law, revoke the illegal licenses, and put American safety first — or pay the price. Additional funding cuts, potentially another $147 million, remain on the table if New York continues to defy compliance.
