Duffy threatens funding freeze for 3 states flouting English requirements for truck drivers

The Department of Transportation is taking action to further clamp down on non-English-speakers with commercial driver's licenses, following President Donald Trump's executive action.

The Obama administration's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a memorandum in 2016 that removed a requirement to place drivers out of service due to a lack of English proficiency.

'States don't get to pick and choose which federal safety rules to follow.'

Trump reversed that action in April, calling for the enforcement of the law to protect American roads following an increase in fatal accidents involving semi-trucks.

DOT Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Tuesday that the agency would pull federal funding for states that fail to comply with English language proficiency requirements.

He accused California, Washington, and New Mexico of failing to place drivers out of service for ELP violations. Duffy warned the three states that they have 30 days to comply or the DOT will withhold all funding from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program.

California receives $30 million, Washington receives $10 million, and New Mexico receives $7 million through that program, Duffy stated during a Tuesday press conference.

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Photographer: Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The California Highway Patrol told Overdrive in July that it does not plan to place drivers out of service for ELP violations despite the Trump administration's new guidance.

The CHP "has not implemented any enforcement changes in response to recent federal guidance requiring commercial drivers to speak English, as it is not part of California law," a spokesperson told the outlet.

"States don't get to pick and choose which federal safety rules to follow," Duffy stated. "As we saw with the horrific Florida crash that killed three, when states fail to enforce the law, they put the driving public in danger. Under President Trump's leadership, we are taking aggressive action to close these safety gaps, hold states accountable, and make sure every commercial driver on the road is qualified to operate a 40-ton vehicle."

A spokesperson for California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) appeared to blame the Trump administration for the recent fatal crash in Florida involving Harjinder Singh, an Indian national who received his commercial driver's license in California. Earlier this month, Singh's truck crushed a minivan, killing all three passengers, after he allegedly performed an illegal U-turn.

"This is rich. The Trump administration approved the federal work permit for the man who killed 3 people — and now they're scrambling to shift blame after getting caught," Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a Newsom spokesperson, told NBC News. "Sean's nonsense announcement is as big a joke as the Trump administration itself. SAD!"

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin denied those claims.

"False. Harjinder Singh is in the United States illegally and his work authorization was rejected under the Trump Administration on September 14, 2020. It was later approved under the Biden Administration June 9, 2021," McLaughlin wrote in a post on X. "The state of California issues Commercial Drivers Licenses. There is no national CDL."

"Thank you for confirming that the federal government issued him a work permit and you FAILED to revoke it!" Newsom's office responded.

The Washington and New Mexico governors' offices did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.

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