DOT Yanks $160M From California Over CDLs For Illegal Immigrants After $40M Cut, Threatens To Strip Licensing Power

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said DOT will withhold an additional $160 million from California over the state’s issuance of CDLs to noncitizens and failure to enforce English-proficiency and other federal requirements. The move follows a prior $40.6 million cut and a fatal Oct. 21 crash in California involving a noncitizen driver, and Duffy warned DOT could revoke California’s CDL-issuing authority if noncompliance continues. Reuters previously confirmed the earlier $40.6M action; today’s escalation signals a broader federal enforcement push likely to trigger political and legal pushback from the state.