U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Sunday that he\u2019s about make good on a threat to revoke millions in federal funds for California because he says the state is illegally issuing commercial driver\u2019s licenses to noncitizens.<\/p>\n
In an appearance on Fox News Channel\u2019s \u201cSunday Morning Futures\u201d Duffy said California Gov. Gavin Newsom has refused to comply with U.S. Department of Transportation rules that require the state to stop issuing such licenses and review those already issued.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, one, I\u2019m about to pull $160 million from California,\u201d Duffy said. \u201cAnd, as we pull more money, we also have the option of pulling California\u2019s ability to issue commercial driver\u2019s licenses.\u201d<\/p>\n
Newsom\u2019s press office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the matter Sunday, but California has defended its practices previously. When Duffy threatened to revoke funds last month, a spokesperson for Newsom dismissed the attack and noted that CDL holders from California have a significantly lower rate of crashes than both the national average and the Texas average, which is the only state with more licensed commercial drivers.<\/p>\n
Last month, the Transportation Department tightened commercial driver\u2019s license requirements for noncitizens<\/a> after three fatal crashes that officials said were caused by immigrant truck drivers. Only three specific classes of visa holders will be eligible for CDLs under the new rules and states must verify an applicant\u2019s immigration status in a federal database. The licenses will be valid for up to one year unless the applicant\u2019s visa expires sooner.<\/p>\n Duffy said last month that California should never have issued 25% of 145 licenses investigators reviewed. He cited four California licenses that remained valid after the driver\u2019s work permit expired \u2014 sometimes years after. The state had 30 days to come up with a plan to comply or lose funding.<\/p>\n A nationwide commercial driver\u2019s license audit began after officials say a driver in the country illegally made a U-turn and caused a crash in Florida that killed three people<\/a>. It found licenses that were issued improperly in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Washington.<\/p>\n Duffy said Sunday that California has unlawfully issued tens of thousands of these licenses to noncitizens.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you have 60,000 people on the roads who shouldn\u2019t have licenses,\u201d Duffy said. \u201cThey\u2019re driving fuel tankers, they\u2019re driving school buses, and we have seen some of the crashes on American roadways that come from these people who shouldn\u2019t have these licenses.\u201d<\/p>\n Duffy said earlier this month that he would withhold $40 million from California because it is the only state that is failing to enforce English language requirements for truckers. California defended its practices in a formal response to the Transportation Department, but federal officials were not satisfied.<\/p>\n