New York State Loses $73.8 Million Due to Unrevoked Licenses for Unauthorized Immigrant Truckers
Detailed Analysis
Federal Funding Threatened for New York Over Questionable Commercial Driver's Licenses
The Transportation Department announced on Thursday that New York will lose more than $73.5 million in federal money due to the state's refusal to revoke nearly 33,000 questionable commercial driver's licenses for immigrants since an audit uncovered problems last year. The audit, which reviewed over 200 licenses, found that more than half of them had significant problems, including remaining valid long after an immigrant was authorized to be in the country.
According to the Transportation Department, the state was ordered to review all commercial driver's licenses for non-domiciled individuals and revoke any that were issued improperly. The federal government has reviewed records related to these licenses in every state since Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy put a spotlight on this issue after an August crash in Florida that killed three people. While most states have either complied or are in negotiations with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, California has already lost $200 million.
Comparison of States' Compliance with Federal Regulations
| State | Funding at Risk | Compliance Status | | --- | --- | --- | | New York | $73.5 million | Refused to comply | | California | $200 million | Complied | | Pennsylvania | Unknown | In negotiations | | Minnesota | Unknown | In negotiations | | North Carolina | Unknown | In negotiations |
The Transportation Department has announced new rules that will prevent 97% of foreign drivers who received non-domiciled licenses from getting a commercial license again. New York officials have defended their licensing practices, stating that they are complying with federal law and that audits during the first Trump administration supported this claim. However, Governor Kathy Hochul's spokesman, Sean Butler, has stated that this action is part of a broader effort to attack blue states.
The Transportation Department has also taken action against New York in the past, putting a hold on $18 billion in funding for a subway extension in Manhattan and tunnels beneath the Hudson River for Amtrak and commuter rail trains. However, the Trump administration agreed to restore funding for the subway project, and a judge ordered the funding to continue for the tunnel project.
Trucking industry groups have praised the Transportation Department's efforts to remove unqualified drivers from the road and crack down on questionable trucking schools. However, immigrant groups have expressed concerns that some drivers are being unfairly targeted, particularly Sikh truckers, who have been in the spotlight after two fatal crashes involving Sikh drivers.
