3 States Face Federal Cuts Over Trucker English Enforcement
27th August 2025
California, Washington, and New Mexico could lose millions of dollars in federal funding if they continue failing to enforce English language requirements for truckers, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday.
An investigation launched after a deadly Florida crash involving a foreign truck driver who made an illegal U-turn on Aug. 12 found what Duffy called significant failures in how all three states are enforcing rules that took effect in June after one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders. He said the department was already reviewing enforcement before the crash.
Truckers are supposed to be disqualified if they can’t demonstrate English proficiency. Duffy said the driver in the crash should not have been given a commercial driver’s license because of his immigration status. The crash has become increasingly political, with the governors of California and Florida criticizing each other, and Duffy highlighting the administration’s immigration concerns.