California, Washington, and New Mexico may lose millions in federal funding if they do not enforce English language requirements for truck drivers, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The announcement comes after a fatal crash in Florida on August 12 involving a foreign truck driver who made an illegal U-turn.
Duffy stated that the investigation into the crash revealed significant failures by all three states in enforcing rules that took effect in June under an executive order from President Donald Trump. The Department of Transportation had already been reviewing state enforcement of these rules prior to the accident.
Truckers are required to demonstrate English proficiency, and Duffy said the driver involved in the Florida crash should not have received a commercial driver’s license due to his immigration status. The incident has led to political debate between governors of California and Florida, with Duffy emphasizing safety concerns related to communication on the road.
“This is about keeping people safe on the road. Your families, your kids, your spouses, your loved ones, your friends. We all use the roadway, and we need to make sure that those who are driving big rigs — semis — can understand the road signs, that they’ve been well trained,” Duffy said.
According to data from the Transportation Department, California conducted approximately 34,000 inspections since the new standards began but cited only one English language violation resulting in a driver being taken out of service. In addition, 23 drivers with violations found elsewhere were allowed to continue driving after inspections in California. Washington found over 6,000 safety violations but removed only four drivers for English-related issues. New Mexico has not taken any drivers out of service under these rules.
Duffy warned that unless these states comply within 30 days, they will lose funding from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program—$33 million for California, $10.5 million for Washington, and $7 million for New Mexico.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office responded on X by accusing the Trump administration of shifting blame: “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. Sean’s nonsense announcement is as big a joke as the Trump Administration itself,” Newsom’s office said.
Washington’s governor withheld comment pending review of Duffy’s letter; New Mexico officials did not immediately respond.
The Florida crash resulted in three deaths when truck driver Harjinder Singh made an illegal U-turn about 50 miles north of West Palm Beach. Singh faces charges of vehicular homicide and immigration violations and is being held without bond.
Diamond R. Litty, public defender in St. Lucie County assigned provisionally to Singh’s case, noted her office would focus on criminal charges while also working with an immigration attorney regarding Singh’s status: “Unfortunately, Mr. Singh has been caught in the crosshairs of politics,” Litty said.
Todd Spencer, president of Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association representing small-business truckers, supported Duffy’s position: “Basic English skills are critical for safely operating a commercial motor vehicle — reading road signs, following emergency instructions, and communicating with law enforcement are not optional. The fatal crash in Florida this month tragically illustrates what’s at stake,” Spencer said.
Federal officials reported that Singh was living illegally in the United States; therefore Duffy argued he should not have received licenses from Washington or California and should have been removed from service by New Mexico after failing an English test following his arrest.
California is among several states issuing licenses regardless of immigration status—a policy supporters argue allows individuals access to work and essential services safely—but Newsom’s office maintained all procedures were followed when licensing Singh last July and asserted federal confirmation at that time verified his legal presence.
Florida authorities indicated Singh entered from Mexico illegally in 2018; Governor Ron DeSantis criticized both licensing decisions and enforcement failures: “You’re not allowed to issue a CDL to somebody who is not in this country legally. You’re not allowed to issue a CDL to somebody who is not capable of understanding traffic signs,” DeSantis said.
