Illegal alien trucker accused of killing newlyweds may never stand trial
An illegal alien truck driver who is facing homicide charges may be deported before his trial for allegedly causing a crash that killed an American newlywed couple.
On Nov. 24, 2025, Rajinder Kumar, an illegal immigrant from India, allegedly jackknifed his semi-truck and trailer while driving along U.S. Highway 20 in Bend, Oregon, causing his vehicle to collide with a Subaru Outback.
'If state and local authorities won’t commit to not releasing him, we will remove him from the country.'
The driver and the passenger of the Subaru, William Micah Carter and Jennifer Lynn Lower, who were married only 16 days at the time, died as a result of the collision.
Kumar was arrested and detained at the Deschutes County Jail, facing two counts of manslaughter in the first degree and three counts of recklessly endangering another person.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Kumar’s bail was originally set at $500,000 following his arrest, but was later reduced to $250,000, KTVZ reported. Oregon’s security release system typically requires individuals looking to be released to post only 10% of the bail amount.
RELATED: Illegal alien trucker accused of causing crash that killed newlyweds
Despite felony charges, Kumar made bail and was released from local custody on Apr. 2. The Department of Homeland Security claimed: "Oregon sanctuary politicians refused to cooperate with ICE and RELEASED Kumar back onto the streets of Oregon."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed Kumar in federal custody on Apr. 22. He is currently being held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, and is awaiting removal proceedings.
Kumar illegally entered the U.S. on Nov. 28, 2022, and was released into the country by the Biden administration, the DHS reported. He reportedly obtained his commercial driver’s license in California after the Biden administration provided him with work authorization.
Carter’s mother, Elizabeth, expressed deep concerns that Kumar would never face justice for allegedly causing the wreck that killed her son and his wife, explaining that he may be deported before his scheduled day in court.
“By deporting him without going through the homicide trial, he is getting a free pass back to his country, his family, and freedom of life. I believe state and federal law should prohibit anyone from being deported before they face serious criminal charges and, if convicted, serve their time and pay the debt they owe to our society on U.S. soil, before they are deported. Especially when that debt is because an American citizen lost their life on American soil,” Elizabeth Carter told Blaze News.
When asked to confirm whether Kumar would be deported before heading to trial for the manslaughter charges, a DHS spokesperson stated, “ICE will work with state and local authorities if they are compliant.”
“We will not turn illegal aliens over to sanctuary politicians who will release these criminals back onto America[’s] streets. If state and local authorities won’t commit to not releasing him, we will remove him from the country,” the spokesperson added.
In response to the DHS statement, Elizabeth Carter said, “What I read in that statement is ... if sanctuary politicians are willing to violate the law, then, and only then, is ICE willing to work with them.”
“I’m confused by that,” she continued. “I thought our Constitution protects everybody. And I’m surprised that it’s up for negotiation whether or not the United States gets to try the death of two American citizens on U.S. soil.”
“I think it’s important that Mr. Kumar be given a chance to defend himself. He’s been publicly called a murderer. A trial is the opportunity for him to present a defense,” Elizabeth Carter stated. “I think Billy and Jenny deserve justice, but so does Mr. Kumar. He deserves the opportunity to present a defense, not just be summarily removed from the country and his reputation trashed.”
The Carter family hopes to find a lawmaker who will sponsor a bill that requires individuals facing deportation and serious criminal charges to stand trial before being removed from the U.S.
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SCOTUS drops landmark 9-0 ruling impacting semi-truck crash victims
The Supreme Court issued a ruling Thursday in a high-stakes trucking case that impacts the legal recourse available to crash victims and their families.
Shawn Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II involved a December 2017 collision between two semi-trucks: one operated by the plaintiff, Shawn Montgomery, and the other by an individual employed by Caribe Transport II, a small motor carrier hired by freight broker C.H. Robinson Worldwide.
‘Today’s unanimous decision is a landmark victory for road safety and for every family that has suffered the devastating consequences of negligent freight brokering practices.’
While parked on the shoulder of an interstate highway in Illinois, Montgomery claimed his truck was rear-ended at high speed, causing severe and permanent injuries, including the amputation of his leg. Montgomery filed his lawsuit against the driver, the carrier, and the freight broker. He accused C.H. Robinson of “negligent hiring,” citing Illinois common law.
C.H. Robinson argued that the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act pre-empted Montgomery’s claim. A spokesperson for the company previously told Blaze News that “a single, uniform federal framework” is vital for road safety, while “a patchwork of state tort laws” would ultimately “undermine that system.”
The issue before SCOTUS was whether the FAAAA pre-emption provision blocks state common-law claims against freight brokers for negligently hiring unsafe trucking carriers or whether such claims are saved under the statute’s safety exception that preserves state authority.
After hearing oral arguments in the case two months ago, SCOTUS unanimously sided with Montgomery on Thursday, determining that C.H. Robinson’s counterargument was “unpersuasive” and that the FAAAA does not pre-empt state common-law negligent-hiring claims against freight brokers.
“Montgomery’s negligent-hiring claim thus falls within the FAAAA’s safety exception, which saves it from preemption,” SCOTUS’ majority opinion, written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, reads.
“Even if the FAAAA otherwise preempts Montgomery’s negligent hiring claim against C.H. Robinson, the safety exception saves it. The relevant text provides that the FAAAA’s preemption provision ‘shall not restrict the safety regulatory authority of a State with respect to motor vehicles,’” it continues.
Rena Leizerman, from the Law Firm for Truck Safety and co-counsel for Montgomery, told Blaze News, “Today’s unanimous decision is a landmark victory for road safety and for every family that has suffered the devastating consequences of negligent freight brokering practices. The Court reaffirmed that bad actors cannot escape responsibility for the harm they cause.”
C.H. Robinson stated that it is “disappointed” with SCOTUS’ 9-0 decision.
“Our hearts continue to go out to the victims of truck accidents,” Dorothy Capers, chief legal officer at C.H. Robinson, said in a statement provided to Blaze News. “Safety is foundational to who we are — our employees and their families travel these same roads, and our business depends on safe freight delivery. While we are disappointed in the Court’s decision, we will continue to operate responsibly, support stronger federal enforcement, and work constructively with regulators, carriers, and customers to strengthen the national safety system and support safe, reliable transportation across the country.”
“As Justices Kavanaugh and Alito stated in the concurrence, ‘Importantly, the Court’s decision today should not be read to mean that brokers will routinely be subject to state tort liability in the wake of truck accidents,’” Capers said, quoting a concurring opinion from Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Samuel Alito.
American Truckers United, which previously filed an amicus brief supporting Montgomery, stated that it is “profoundly grateful to God for this miracle,” calling the ruling “a major victory for hardworking American truck drivers and the communities they serve.”
“This ruling clearly recognizes that highway safety demands full accountability from every participant on our nation’s roadways,” the ATU said in a statement provided to Blaze News. “For years, an unfair ecosystem was allowed to flourish because certain profiteers operated behind a shield of presumed immunity. This imbalance pitted Main Street trucking companies against Wall Street freight brokers, undermining fair competition, costing countless American trucking jobs, devastating responsible trucking companies, and contributing to an untold number of preventable deaths on our highways.”
Louie Cook, a lawyer who specializes in brokerage liability, told Blaze News that he is “grateful” for the high court’s decision, stating that it will “act as a safeguard to highway safety, critical American infrastructure, and ensure a fair playing field in the transportation industry.”
“This is part of what makes our country special, that one man named Shawn Montgomery through conviction of right and wrong can make the world a better place,” Cook said. “This ruling means that families all across the country will finally have the opportunity to hold the main benefactors of chameleon carriers accountable.”
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How the Union Pacific merger could revitalize America's rail industry
The debate over the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger has the competition question backward. Critics in Washington are asking whether the two railroads are too big to combine, fearing a monopoly.
However, if we are serious about rebuilding American industry, strengthening the middle class, and winning on the global stage, this merger deserves to be judged by what it actually delivers for workers, consumers, and the economy.
Competition in the modern economy means ensuring that American industries have the scale and integration needed to compete where it matters
Freight rail is one of the last sectors in America that consistently delivers high-quality, middle-class jobs without requiring a four-year degree. Rail workers earn up to 40% more than the national average. These are real careers that actually create things.
Union Pacific has already signed a jobs-for-life agreement with SMART-TD, the nation’s largest railroad union, which has endorsed the deal. The companies’ amended filing also projects that 1,200 net new union jobs will be added by year three of the combined company, on top of those existing protections.
Then there is industrial capacity. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have sought to bolster America's production capacity. A better-connected freight rail system does a lot to further this goal. It means more goods moving across the country, more demand for domestic production, and steadier employment for the workers who keep that system running.
The consumer case for this merger is straightforward. Rail shipping costs less than trucking, and those savings work their way through the supply chain. The company's amended Surface Transportation Board application projects $3.5 billion in annual savings for shippers, driven largely by diverting more than 2 million truckloads of long-haul freight to rail.
Critics will say the merger is anti-competitive. That argument misreads the competition. U.S. freight rail does not run in a closed market. This is an end-to-end combination of two railroads that currently operate on opposite sides of the Mississippi.
Combining them would let the new company compete against heavily subsidized trucking and global logistics companies at a scale no individual railroad can match on its own.
Trucking, for example, relies on publicly funded highways, while railroads maintain their own infrastructure at private expense. Meanwhile, China is building integrated national logistics systems designed to dominate global trade flows.
Competition in the modern economy means ensuring that American industries have the scale and integration needed to compete where it matters: across continents and against state-backed rivals.
RELATED: The potential Union Pacific merger risks upsetting America's rail industry
A transcontinental rail network strengthens that position by expanding reach, improving efficiency, and connecting American producers to broader markets.
Washington has spent years promising to reshore manufacturing, secure supply chains, and cut dependence on foreign adversaries. Delivering on those promises requires infrastructure that is capable of supporting domestic production at scale.
You cannot rebuild American industry without the ability to move raw materials to factories and finished goods to markets quickly and cheaply. Freight rail is central to that goal. It is more fuel-efficient than trucking and more cost-effective for bulk commodities. Shifting long-haul freight from highway to rail also reduces accidents.
Rail accounts for a fraction of the fatalities and injuries per ton-mile that trucking does, and fewer heavy semis on interstates mean safer roads for everyone.
A stronger rail network is not a threat to workers or to competition. It is what both of those things depend on. Judge this merger by whether it makes the American economy stronger. Judge it by whether working people get something out of it. On both counts, the answer is yes.
Guaranteed union jobs, lower costs for shippers, and a supply chain that finally runs coast to coast on American rails. That is the kind of industrial investment this country keeps saying it wants. Policymakers who care about the future of the country should support it.
Trump’s DOJ takes a side in high-stakes SCOTUS trucking dispute — and it may not be the one you expect
A battle over America's roads is unfolding in the Supreme Court, where demands for accountability clash with efforts to deregulate the industry, as the national spotlight remains on accidents caused by non-domiciled, non-English-speaking truck drivers.
The court's ruling could have major implications for the more than 150,000 Americans injured and the over 5,000 killed in large truck accidents each year, by potentially stripping or safeguarding the legal recourse available to victims and their families.
'Remove any legal accountability for brokers, and you remove the incentive for them to care.'
SCOTUS heard oral arguments on March 4 in the case of Shawn Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, which involves a December 2017 collision between two semi-trucks: one operated by the plaintiff, Shawn Montgomery, and the other by an individual employed by Caribe Transport II, a small motor carrier hired by broker C.H. Robinson Worldwide.
The complaint explains that Montgomery was parked on the shoulder of Interstate Highway 70 in Cumberland County, Illinois, when another truck rear-ended his vehicle at high speed, resulting in severe and permanent injuries, including the amputation of Montgomery's leg.
Montgomery's lawsuit was filed against the driver, the carrier, and C.H. Robinson. He accused C.H. Robinson of "negligent hiring," citing Illinois common law. His case reached the Supreme Court after a lower court moved to dismiss it, arguing that the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act bars state-level negligence suits against brokers — third-party providers that connect shippers with carriers without owning trucks or hauling freight themselves — for their carrier selections.
The ongoing case has caught the attention of those in the trucking industry who are concerned that a SCOTUS ruling in favor of C.H. Robinson would set a precedent that prevents crash victims and their families from seeking legal recourse against brokers.
While President Donald Trump's administration has been receptive to concerns about reforming the nation's broken trucking industry, the U.S. position in the Montgomery v. Caribe case indicates a potential shift.
Trump's Department of Justice submitted an amicus brief supporting C.H. Robinson, arguing that the FAAAA preempts any state law related to the "price, route, or service" of a broker. This, the DOJ claimed, includes how brokers select carriers. Although the rule carves out a safety exception allowing states to enforce such laws, the U.S. government contended that the exception does not apply to this case.
The U.S. argues that brokers are already required to select an authorized motor carrier, which means that the carrier has met the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's "rigorous safety standards." Allowing such lawsuits against freight brokers would "require brokers to second-guess federal registration decisions and independently evaluate the safety history of the carriers they select."
"A judgment for petitioner on that claim would thus necessarily impugn Caribe's overall operations, thereby undermining FMCSA's determination that Caribe satisfies federal registration requirements, including rigorous safety requirements," the U.S. amicus brief reads.
American Truckers United, an advocacy group, warned that if SCOTUS agreed with the U.S. government's argument and ruled in favor of the respondent, it could allow freight brokers to have "blanket immunity" when selecting unsafe and high-risk carriers, leading to a "race to the bottom."
ATU filed its own amicus brief, urging SCOTUS to side with Montgomery.
"If brokers are immunized from tort liability, they will have an unrestrained incentive to hire the cheapest motor carriers available for every load, regardless of poor safety records, regulatory non-compliance, defective equipment, and other red flags. Low-cost, low-quality carriers will completely displace safe carriers in the market," ATU wrote.
ATU noted that many carriers maintain only the minimum required liability insurance, which covers just a small portion of the cost for crash victims and their families. The group also pointed out the FMCSA's lack of resources to keep up with the "chameleon carrier" crisis, explaining that when carriers lose their operating authority due to noncompliance, they "dissolve, reincarnate themselves under new identities, and reenter the market."
A separate amicus brief filed by the Institute for Safer Trucking on behalf of Montgomery wrote, "The reality of the compliance-review scheme is bleak. FMCSA is apparently unable to conduct compliance reviews of carriers within a reasonable time. More than ninety-four percent of all active interstate freight carriers remain 'unrated' as of 2023."
The FMCSA has previously admitted its limitations. In a 2023 Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the FMCSA stated that it "has resources to issue safety ratings to only a small percentage of motor carriers each year," adding that the agency's rating "does not necessarily reflect the current safety posture of a motor carrier."
FMCSA officials said that "they do not have the resources to vet all for-hire carriers that apply for new operating authority," according to a 2012 Government Accountability Office report.
The Truck Safety Coalition, a network of victim and survivor volunteers, also filed an amicus brief supporting Montgomery that referred to freight brokers as “gatekeepers in determining who hauls freight on the roadways and who doesn’t.” The TSC stated that the industry has exploded in recent decades, from just 70 brokers in 1975 to over 28,000 today.
Rena Leizerman, from the Law Firm for Truck Safety and co-counsel for Montgomery, told Blaze News in a statement, “Broker negligence lawsuits aren't filed in every crash. They get filed when there's evidence that a broker hired someone with a known, serious safety history and chose to look the other way.”
“C.H. Robinson argued to the court that it should be completely off the hook for negligence. No exceptions. Not even if it knowingly hires a carrier with no insurance. Not even if the carrier isn't legally registered to operate. Not even if it already knows the carrier has a dangerous record. Zero accountability, no matter what,” Leizerman’s statement continued.
“Brokers make money on the gap between what shippers pay them and what they pay the carrier. The wider the gap, the more profit. So they push carrier rates down, and carriers survive by cutting costs — driver screening, safety training, equipment upkeep, insurance — until the day everything goes wrong.
“Remove any legal accountability for brokers, and you remove the incentive for them to care. Safe carriers, the ones who invest in doing things right, end up getting underbid by carriers who skip basic safety. It's a race to the bottom, and it's the rest of us sharing the road who pay the price,” she added.
Dorothy Capers, chief legal officer at C.H. Robinson, also provided a statement to Blaze News.
"A single, uniform federal framework is essential to keeping interstate commerce safe, efficient, and consistent with Congress' design," Capers said. "Allowing a patchwork of state tort laws to regulate broker services would undermine that system, increase uncertainty, and disrupt the flow of goods Americans rely on every day."
Real-world impact
The stakes of the pending Montgomery case are already playing out in the nation’s courtrooms.
On May 24, 2024, a semi-truck driver allegedly blew through a stop sign on U.S. 84 in Texas, killing 28-year-old Tiana Moore and her mother, Tanya Maria King. Moore’s family sued the driver, the carrier, and the freight broker that had hired the carrier.
When the case was about to go to trial, the broker, citing the ongoing Montgomery case before the Supreme Court, requested and received a stay, leaving the family in limbo.
Moore's father, David Moore, spoke to Blaze News about the tragic accident. He expressed his goal of raising awareness to inspire policy changes and help the American public understand how regulations affecting the trucking industry impact lives nationwide.
"The impact that it's really had on our lives, and even this ongoing process, it's been, obviously, the most difficult thing that I've ever had to deal with — and not just me, but my family," David Moore said.
Ultimately, the Moore case was closed a short time later when the parties reached a confidential settlement. While in this instance the family was able to reach an agreement outside the courtroom, the Supreme Court’s decision in the Montgomery case will determine whether crash victims and their families retain or lose a major avenue for accountability in the future.
SCOTUS is expected to give a decision in the Montgomery case by June.
The Department of Transportation deferred comment to the Department of Justice, which stated it had no further remarks beyond its amicus brief.
Legal counsel for Caribe Transport II did not respond to requests for comment.
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DOT's Duffy earns high praise from American truckers for turning industry concerns into real policy wins
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's visit to the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, in late March drew overwhelmingly positive reactions from truckers and other industry professionals.
"Truckers are the BACKBONE of our great country," Duffy wrote in a post on social media. "I am so impressed by every one of them at the Mid-America Trucking Show! I promise to fight as hard as the truckers do to MAKE TRUCKING GREAT AGAIN."
'We have a long way to go and a lot of work ahead, but for the first time in a long time, it feels like the right people are finally listening.'
A press release from MATS following the completion of its event, which over 53,000 people attended, called Duffy's participation "a major highlight," noting that the secretary "met with industry leaders, exhibitors, and professional drivers to discuss the importance of trucking to the nation's economy, supply chain, and infrastructure."
"The visit underscored the federal government's recognition of trucking as a critical pillar of American commerce and mobility," MATS wrote.
Duffy delivered a speech at the event, promising to advocate for American truckers.
"You make up what is great about America. The work you do, makes our country great," he told attendees.
RELATED: End of the road: 200,000 foreign truckers could lose their CDLs as Trump’s rule takes effect
Industry professionals like Danielle Chaffin shared their video interviews with Duffy and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek Barrs, who spoke to truckers on the show floor.
"So you guys do pay attention to us?" Chaffin asked Duffy and Barrs.
"100%," Duffy responded.
"Even when I think we're doing great things, I get a little hard time from those on X. But I do appreciate the feedback, and we see it's a very loud voice — a vocal industry. And I think that's fair because, if you've been forgotten, you felt like you're screaming into the storm. Well, you're not screaming into the storm anymore because we're actually listening, and you see the work that we're doing."
"We are watching because that's some of the ways that we can actually make some of the changes that we're making is because of X and people on social media," Barrs told Chaffin.
“This industry has spent years shouting into a void. Finally, years later, our voices and concerns are being heard,” Chaffin told Blaze News. “Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs stood in a room full of truckers and treated them as the experts they are. They spoke with genuine concern and care for the people who actually move this country. They made it very clear they are paying attention to the operators, the owners, and those of us who have been sounding the alarm on X.”
“We have a long way to go and a lot of work ahead, but for the first time in a long time, it feels like the right people are finally listening,” Chaffin continued. “Not only are they listening, but they are taking action. We are making progress to save the American trucking industry!”
Charles Gracey, who hosts SiriusXM's "Trucking Sense" and FreightWaves' "Brake Check," gave Duffy and Barrs high praise for their attendance at MATS.
"When an administration is truly paying attention to the people it represents, there will be signs," Gracey wrote. "One of those signs is showing up where those people actually are, and that is exactly what U.S. @USDOT @SecDuffy and @FMCSA @BarrsDerek did at the Mid-America @truckingshow in #Louisville."
"What makes it even more powerful is that they did not just show up for optics. They showed up, they engaged, and they took time to hear our thoughts about the industry we know and love, and the very same industry they say they are working to protect for us and for the future of trucking," Gracey added.
Duffy and Barrs were joined at MATS by Dalilah Coleman, a young girl who sustained critical and life-altering injuries as a result of a 2024 car wreck involving an illegal alien truck driver.
Dalilah's Law, a bill named after Coleman, was introduced in the Senate in February. If passed, it would prohibit states from issuing commercial driver's licenses to illegal aliens, allowing them to be issued only to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and holders of specific work visas. Additionally, the bill mandates the revocation of existing CDLs held by individuals who do not meet these eligibility criteria.
"Proud to see Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy standing in the gap for Dalilah at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY," the American Truckers United wrote. "Stand with Secretary Duffy. Stand with Dalilah. Pass Dalilah's Law!"
Justin Martin, a trucking industry professional who goes by SuperTrucker on X, called on government leaders to attend MATS more frequently.
"DOT/FMCSA leadership should be at MATS every year to hear from drivers in the industry directly. Thanks for coming out this year," Martin wrote.
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Florida police pull dozens of immigrant truck drivers off roads: 'People with no names'
A Florida commercial driver's license crackdown has revealed huge safety issues within the industry.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement recently partnered with state and federal agencies to implement a four-day investigative task force called "Operation Highway Shield."
'We've got someone who is behind the wheel that is putting lives at risk, that has no regard for safety.'
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass spoke to reporters on Thursday and revealed the staggering numbers of violations that were discovered when they inspected approximately 3,300 drivers.
From those drivers, authorities removed 176 from service, with 42 of them cited for federal immigration violations, while another 35 drivers were arrested for criminal charges.
"Some of the driver's license that we would find wouldn't even have a name on the CDL," Glass told reporters. "Literally no name. ... But you got a CDL, no first name, and it even says no name given; from other states, that is not from the state of Florida."
At the same time, another 54 drivers were relieved of service over language deficiencies. According to Fox 35 Orlando, these deficiencies were tied to federal requirements outlined in President Trump's executive order from April of last year, titled "Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for America's Truck Drivers." The order requires proficiency in English.
"So you're having people with no names, operating commercial motor vehicles, but different types of endorsement running up and down your highways," Glass explained.
RELATED: End of the road: 200,000 foreign truckers could lose their CDLs as Trump’s rule takes effect
In one instance, officials said that in the Central Florida region of Sumter County, a truck driver was accused of swerving while on Interstate 4, which passes through Tampa and Orlando.
Authorities said the driver turned out to have limited English proficiency while also exceeding the legal blood alcohol level with a 0.27. In Florida, the legal blood alcohol level for typical drivers is 0.08%. For commercial drivers, however, it is 0.04%. This means the driver was nearly seven times over the legal limit.
"The larger picture of this is that we've got someone who is behind the wheel that is putting lives at risk, that has no regard for safety," Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Derek Barrs said.
Employers can also face consequences in these instances, too, Barrs warned.
More than 10 agencies participated in the operation, which is just a small part of the typical 100,000 inspections done in the state per year. Fox 51 Gainesville reported that about a quarter of those inspections typically result in vehicles being removed from the road due to mechanical issues and another 10% because of driver violations.
Florida currently has 23 vehicle inspection sites in the state and plans to add another near the Florida-Alabama border.
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End of the road: 200,000 foreign truckers could lose their CDLs as Trump’s rule takes effect
Approximately 200,000 foreign truck drivers will no longer be able to renew their commercial driver’s licenses following the Department of Transportation’s final rule that took effect on Monday.
The DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced the final rule, “Restoring Integrity to the Issuance of Non-Domiciled Commercial Drivers Licenses,” in February to prevent “unqualified foreign drivers” from operating big rigs and buses on American roadways.
‘Under President Trump’s leadership, we are putting the safety of the driving public first.’
A press release from the FMCSA noted that in 2025, non-domiciled drivers caused 17 fatal crashes and 30 deaths.
The announcement followed a nationwide audit that found “systemic non-compliance” in the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs in several states.
The final rule’s key provisions include limiting non-domiciled CDLs to foreign nationals with H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 visas. It also terminated Employment Authorization Documents as acceptable proof of eligibility. Additionally, it required state licensing agencies to verify the eligibility of foreign nationals through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system.
RELATED: Foreigners want to drive a big rig? They'll need more than work authorization papers, Duffy says.
Therefore, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, asylum seekers, Temporary Protected Status holders, and those relying solely on work authorization documents are no longer eligible to obtain a CDL.
Foreign nationals who no longer meet these qualifications may continue to drive as long as their current license remains valid. However, they will not be able to renew their licenses once they expire.
The Washington Post estimated that the final rule, which took effect on Monday, will impact about 200,000 CDL holders.
“For far too long, America has allowed dangerous foreign drivers to abuse our truck licensing systems — wreaking havoc on our roadways. This safety loophole ends today,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated during February’s announcement of the final rule. “Moving forward, unqualified foreign drivers will be unable to get a license to operate an 80,000-pound big rig. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are putting the safety of the driving public first. From enforcing English language standards to holding fraudulent carriers accountable, we will continue to attack this crisis on our roads head on.”
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Foreigners want to drive a big rig? They'll need more than work authorization papers, Duffy says.
Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy took action on Wednesday to prevent unqualified foreign drivers from operating semi-trucks. This decision comes in response to several fatal crashes involving non-domiciled commercial driver's license holders, a situation that has gained national attention over the past year.
Duffy issued a final rule, "Restoring Integrity to the Issuance of Non-Domiciled Commercial Drivers Licenses," which aims to close safety gaps in the issuance of CDLs to foreign drivers.
'For far too long, America has allowed dangerous foreign drivers to abuse our truck licensing systems — wreaking havoc on our roadways. This safety loophole ends today.'
Perhaps the most significant provision of the DOT's final rule eliminates the reliance on Employment Authorization Documents to demonstrate eligibility for non-domiciled CDLs, which the agency notes had led to "widespread regulatory non-compliance." Instead, applicants will be required to present a foreign passport or Form I-94 documentation.
"While U.S. drivers are subject to strict checks through national databases for past violations — such as DUIs, reckless driving, or crash involvement — states lack the ability to access the driving records of foreigners and illegal immigrants. This loophole allowed individuals with dangerous driving histories to obtain a trucking license simply by presenting an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), which does not screen for transportation safety," a DOT press release states.
Another key condition of the final rule is a restriction on eligibility that requires foreign nationals to hold H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 visas, which are temporary non-immigrant visas for workers and treaty investors. These visa holders, while eligible to receive a non-domiciled CDL, must undergo enhanced interagency vetting.
Additionally, state driver's licensing agencies will be required to confirm every applicant's immigration status via the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system.
"For far too long, America has allowed dangerous foreign drivers to abuse our truck licensing systems — wreaking havoc on our roadways. This safety loophole ends today," Duffy said. "Moving forward, unqualified foreign drivers will be unable to get a license to operate an 80,000-pound big rig. Under President Trump's leadership, we are putting the safety of the driving public first. From enforcing English language standards to holding fraudulent carriers accountable, we will continue to attack this crisis on our roads head-on."
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek Barrs stated, "If we cannot verify your safe driving history, you cannot hold a CDL in this country."
"At least 17 fatal crashes and 30 deaths in 2025 alone were caused by non-domiciled drivers who will now be ineligible to get a license," the DOT stated.
RELATED: Trucker accused of killing 4 Amish men — and DHS claims he's an 'illegal alien'
California has repeatedly leaned on EADs to defend its issuance of CDLs to foreign nationals who were involved in fatal accidents.
In October, Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old Indian national with a California CDL despite being in the United States illegally, was involved in a collision on the I-10 freeway that resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including a high school basketball coach and his wife.
"The FEDERAL government approves and renews all FEDERAL employment authorization documents that allows individuals to work and obtain commercial driver's licenses," the California State Transportation Agency stated.
In August, Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old Indian national who also obtained his CDL in California, was accused of causing a crash that killed three people in Florida. California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom's office similarly blamed the federal government, again citing the driver's work permit.
"Hey, Commander Cosplay," the office wrote, referring to President Donald Trump, "the federal government (YOU) already confirmed that this guy meets federal and state immigration requirements — YOU issued him a work permit (EAD). Oops."
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Illegal alien bus driver who can't speak English allegedly kills American while 'distracted by a video on his phone'
An American citizen was killed in a multi-vehicle pileup in Tennessee last week after an illegal alien bus driver allegedly rear-ended a semi-truck while driving along I-40.
This marks the latest fatal crash tied to an illegal alien who obtained a commercial driver's license in the United States despite unlawful status.
'Far too many innocent Americans have been killed by illegal aliens driving semi-trucks and big rigs.'
Yisong Huang, a 54-year-old Chinese national, illegally entered the U.S. in 2023. While he admitted to Border Patrol agents that he had unlawfully entered the country, the Biden administration released him and provided him with work authorization documents and a Social Security card, the Department of Homeland Security reported.
Huang used his work documents to obtain a Class B CDL in New York, which allowed him to operate a bus.
On December 9, Huang allegedly caused a multi-vehicle crash after he rear-ended a tractor-trailer. Investigators found that Huang was "distracted by a video on his phone."
The incident resulted in the death of American citizen Kerry Smith and injuries to two other individuals. There were no passengers on Huang's bus at the time of the crash.
RELATED: Trump’s DOT claims 53% of New York’s non-domiciled CDLs were issued illegally
Huang failed his English proficiency test administered after the fatal collision.
"Far too many innocent Americans have been killed by illegal aliens driving semi-trucks and big rigs. And yet sanctuary states around the country have been issuing illegal aliens commercial driver's licenses. The Trump administration is ending the chaos," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said. "The brave men and women of ICE are working nonstop to get criminal illegal aliens out of our communities and off our roads."
RELATED: Illegal alien trucker accused of causing crash that killed newlyweds
Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, "It's not just that Joe Biden let millions of migrants flood into our country illegally. His administration doled out the documentation these unqualified foreigner drivers needed to obtain trucking licenses and operate 40-ton missiles on the highway. The fact that this individual failed a basic English test also calls into question how he even got the license in the first place. Working with Secretary Noem, we will continue to fight to keep you and your family safe on America's roadways."
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