The U.S. Department of Transportation, under Secretary Sean Duffy, has issued a direct warning to California, Washington, and New Mexico: enforce federal English-language standards for commercial drivers or lose critical highway funding. The move, backed by President Trump’s executive order, signals a sharp shift toward law-and-order enforcement of long-ignored safety protocols.
The warning comes after a tragic crash in Florida on August 12 involving a commercial driver, Harjinder Singh, who reportedly made an illegal U-turn, killing three people. Singh, a foreign national, was later found to have limited English proficiency, raising questions about how he was cleared to operate a commercial vehicle on U.S. roads.
Duffy emphasized, “States don’t get to pick and choose which federal safety rules to follow… As we saw with the horrific Florida crash that killed three, when states fail to enforce the law, they put the driving public in danger.”
Federal law has long required commercial drivers to read and speak English well enough to understand road signs, communicate with officials, and navigate safely. However, investigations revealed that California, Washington, and New Mexico repeatedly failed to enforce these rules. According to a recent DOT audit, these states allowed noncompliant drivers to stay on the road without consequences, violating federal safety regulations.
In response, Secretary Duffy announced the states have 30 days to comply or face the loss of millions in federal funds. California stands to lose $33 million, Washington $10.5 million, and New Mexico $7 million—all tied to the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, which supports commercial vehicle inspections and safety enforcement.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier echoed his support for the Trump Administration’s stance and the action of the DOT, saying, “You have this tragic accident at the hands of an illegal alien who should not have ever had this trucker’s license to begin with. You’ve got blue states that apparently are engaging in systematic abuse of the program, not only allowing illegal aliens to get these permits but enabling them to do so when they do not even speak English.”
President Trump previously signed an executive order in April mandating the enforcement of English proficiency requirements—rules that were downplayed during previous administrations. The policy aims to restore accountability and protect American lives on the road by ensuring that every commercial driver operating in the U.S. can understand traffic laws, emergency instructions, and safety protocols.
The DOT’s warning is clear: states that put political correctness or lax enforcement ahead of public safety will be held accountable. The administration emphasized that proper communication is a basic necessity for highway safety, and failing to uphold this standard places lives at risk.
