DOT Threatens Funding Cuts As FMCSA Cracks Down On Migrant Truckers After CBP-Linked Crashes

Following a series of high-profile crashes tied to non–English-proficient migrant drivers, federal officials are escalating enforcement of English requirements for commercial truckers. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy has threatened to withhold funds from California, Washington, and New Mexico unless they enforce English Language Proficiency standards, while FMCSA probes carriers and state CDL practices. The article cites a fatal Florida crash involving a driver who failed an FMCSA English assessment and a Maine incident that drew CBP to the scene. Industry voices and ATA also urge crackdowns on cabotage and employer practices they say exploit immigrant labor and undercut safety.