DOT cracks down on thousands of illegal immigrant truckers as agency braces for holiday travel

WASHINGTON — The Transportation Department, working with the Department of Homeland Security, said it is cracking down on thousands of commercial drivers who hold non-domiciled licenses that were not properly vetted, a move officials said aims to reduce highway fatalities as holiday travel ramps up.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, speaking this weekend at AmericaFest, outlined steps DOT is taking to press states to tighten license issuance and enforcement. He cited cases where non-domiciled CDLs issued by state agencies appeared to have bypassed vetting standards and highlighted actions in California, which he said revoked about 17,000 problematic licenses.

Duffy said the crackdown includes leveraging federal funding to compel state compliance; if states fail to follow the rules, DOT will withhold money. He argued that too many states have issued licenses to individuals who do not meet eligibility requirements and said the agency has repeatedly warned PennDOT and other agencies about gaps in vetting and enforcement. He noted that in New York, more than half of the non-domiciled CDLs issued by NYSDOT were reportedly issued illegally and that some drivers may not be legally present in the United States or may hold temporary work permits that were not aligned with license requirements.

The administration has stressed that drivers holding non-domiciled CDLs can appear across state lines, raising concerns about the safety of trucks and school buses on busy roads. Duffy said the agency will pursue enforcement not only against truckers who violate licensing rules but also against states that fail to enforce them, including the possibility of penalties that affect funding for transportation programs.

The Florida Turnpike, where authorities say a driver with a non-domiciled CDL was involved in a fatal incident after attempting an illegal maneuver, is cited by DOT officials as a concrete example of why improved vetting is necessary. Duffy characterized that crash as a reminder that unqualified drivers can endanger the traveling public, and he said the DOT has expanded its outreach to state agencies to prevent similar outcomes in the future.

Beyond trucking, Duffy cautioned that many qualified CDL holders may also be eligible to drive school buses, which intensifies the need for rigorous verification of language proficiency and competency. He stressed that safety must come first, even if that means delays for travelers when controls are tightened or inspections are conducted.

The DOT’s push comes as the agency prepares for a historically busy travel period. Duffy noted that Friday was expected to be the busiest travel day of the year, with roughly 51,000 flights taking off nationwide, underscoring the scale of the challenge for airlines, air-traffic controllers and other DOT subdivisions during the holidays.

In discussing his broader relationships and public messaging, Duffy spoke of his friendship with Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and described AmFest as a mobilizing force for young people drawn to the conservative movement. He said the event underscored the importance of engaging everyday Americans in the political process and policy discussions, while maintaining a focus on safety and practical government solutions.

Duffy also told travelers that the DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration are prepared to handle holiday-season complaints and disruptions. He reiterated a safety-first principle: if controllers, weather, or mechanical issues slow traffic, authorities will pause or slow traffic to protect travelers, even if it means occasional delays. He added that he would gladly trade a missed flight for an unsafe one, asserting that safety should never be compromised for speed.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and to a political group linked to Pete Buttigieg for comment, but no immediate response was provided. The report follows ongoing debates over licensing requirements, border policy impacts on labor markets, and federal-state tensions over how to enforce licensing standards to protect road and highway safety.