WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has issued a significant ultimatum, threatening to withhold nearly $75 million in federal funding from Pennsylvania unless the state immediately revokes the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses purportedly granted to immigrants in violation of federal laws.
This decisive action, which comes from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, follows previous threats made to California regarding similar licensing issues. Both California and Pennsylvania have Democratic governors — Gavin Newsom and Josh Shapiro, respectively — who have been vocal critics of President Trump’s policies and are seen as potential contenders for the Democratic nomination in 2028.
Duffy has prioritized scrutinizing the issuance of such licenses since a tragic incident in Florida involving a tractor-trailer driver who was not authorized to be in the U.S. This driver caused an accident that tragically resulted in the deaths of three individuals. The incident raised public awareness about the matter, adding fuel to the existing political fire surrounding immigration policies.
Currently, it remains unclear how many commercial driver’s licenses would be affected by this ultimatum in Pennsylvania. A communication from the Trump administration alerted Governor Shapiro about an audit indicating that two out of 150 licenses examined were denied based on the holders' lawful presence.
The Trump administration's demands include a cessation of all new, renewed, or transferred commercial driver’s licenses for noncitizens and an immediate audit to identify which existing licenses might violate federal regulations. Should Pennsylvania fail to comply, it would be forced to void licenses deemed noncompliant and remove any such drivers from the roads.
In response, Shapiro's administration has stated that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation halted issuing commercial driver’s licenses to noncitizens following a regulation from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which has placed strict criteria on immigrants eligible for such licenses. A federal court has temporarily put this regulation on hold, and as a result, Pennsylvania has not resumed issuing what are termed 'non-domiciled CDLs.'
The state has assured that it reviews the required immigration documents and checks each applicant’s lawful presence against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s database. However, questions about the database's reliability have surfaced after a recent case involving an Uzbek national, who held a Pennsylvania-issued license, raised alarms due to his ties to a terrorist organization. Shapiro maintained that the database indicated the individual was legally eligible, but recognized the need for federal improvements to ensure state compliance.
Shapiro asserted, 'They clearly are not minding the shop,' emphasizing the reliance of all states on the federal database for making determinations regarding driver’s license eligibility. The situation presents a microcosm of the broader tensions between state and federal immigration policies, particularly under the previous administration's assertive stance on immigration enforcement.
