(NewsNation) — California’s failure to clean up the way it grants commercial driver’s licenses to nonresidents may result in the state being barred from issuing CDLs altogether, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says.
“I don’t speak liberal. I don’t know what (Gov.) Gavin Newsom is thinking or doing, but his first priority should be protecting his citizens in California,” Duffy told “Katie Pavlich Tonight” on Thursday.
The Department of Transportation has pressured California to revoke thousands of what DOT considers “illegally issued” nondomiciled CDLs. Nationwide, the agency has been cracking down on immigrant truck drivers, citing a series of deadly accidents, and has threatened to withhold federal funds from states that do not follow federal rules.
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California previously said it was revoking the CDLs of 17,000 migrant truck drivers Jan. 5, but the state, facing lawsuits from immigrant-rights advocates, granted a two-month extension for drivers to retest and reapply.
Democrat Newsom said officials in the Republican Trump administration had agreed to the extension, but Duffy disagreed.
He said DOT has already withheld $200 million from California. Stiffer measures may be needed, he added.
“If they don’t come into compliance, we will eventually pull their ability to issue commercial driver’s licenses to anybody in California,” he said.
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