Sean Patrick Duffy, Transportation Secretary for the U.S. Department of Transportation, said on Feb. 17 that state officials must prioritize compliance with federal regulations in commercial driver’s license (CDL) programs, particularly regarding non-domiciled applicants in Illinois.
The issue has drawn attention due to concerns about unqualified drivers operating commercial vehicles and the potential risks posed to public safety. According to a U.S. Department of Transportation briefing room release, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration conducted a review of Illinois’ non-domiciled CDL issuance practices and sent formal correspondence to state officials, including Governor JB Pritzker, outlining preliminary findings of noncompliance with federal motor carrier regulations. The review is part of ongoing federal oversight aimed at maintaining uniform safety requirements for interstate trucking operations.
“I need our state partners to understand that they work for the American people, not illegal immigrants who broke the law illegally entering our country and continue to break it by operating massive big rigs without the proper qualifications. Biden and Buttigieg forced Americans to share their roads with unqualified and unvetted foreign drivers, but the Trump Administration is putting the needs of American families first where they belong,” Duffy said according to the U.S. Department of Transportation briefing room release.
Illinois Department of Transportation data show large truck crashes accounted for a disproportionate share of serious roadway incidents, with over 11,000 such events recorded in recent years, leading to 150 fatalities and more than 2,000 serious injuries. These statistics reflect heightened safety challenges on Illinois highways where improper licensing can increase risks for all road users; both federal and state authorities are examining licensing protocols as part of efforts to reduce accident severity tied to driver qualification gaps according to state reports.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports indicate multiple incidents nationwide where non-domiciled drivers from countries including El Salvador and Ukraine operated commercial vehicles in violation of licensing rules, contributing to at least 30 deaths in 17 separate crashes in one recent period. These cases prompted expanded federal audits of state CDL programs as part of efforts to close loopholes allowing unqualified operators onto public roads according to national data.
Duffy previously served as a U.S. Congressman representing Wisconsin’s Seventh District and chaired transportation-related task forces focused on infrastructure and freight movement before his current role overseeing national transportation policy according to his official biography.
