U.S. to tighten rules for immigrant truck drivers

After Florida crashes, noncitizens will face stricter process to get a commercial license.

- BY JOSH FUNK

TRANSPORTATION chief Sean Duffy noted fatal crashes beyond Florida as well.

(MANUEL BALCE CENETA Associated Press)

The Transportation Department will immediately tighten up the requirements for noncitizens to get commercial driver's licenses after three fatal crashes this year that officials say were caused by immigrant truck drivers who never should have received licenses.

The new rules will make it extremely hard for immigrants to get commercial driver's licenses because only three specific classes of visa holders will be eligible. States will also have to verify an applicant's immigration status in a federal database. These licenses will be valid for only up to one year unless the applicant's visa expires sooner than that.

The nationwide audit of these licenses began after a fatal U-turn crash in Florida that killed two people caused by a truck driver who officials said was in the country illegally. But Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said fatal crashes caused by truck drivers who shouldn't have had licenses were also found in Texas and Alabama earlier this year.

Duffy also threatened to revoke $160 million in federal funding for California because investigators found that 1 in 4 of the 145 commercial driver's licenses for non-citizens issued since June that they reviewed should have never been issued under the current rules.