Trump Admin Closes CDL Loophole That Let Illegal Immigrants Drive Big-Rigs https://t.co/GBZh9ahF8Q
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 19, 2026
The Department of Transportation shut down a major safety vulnerability this past week that had allowed illegal immigrant drivers to operate commercial trucks on American highways despite having no verifiable driving history.
“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 P. Duffy said in a statement.
“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.”
The reform targets a gaping hole in how states issue commercial driver’s licenses to foreign nationals. While licensing agencies can screen U.S. drivers through national databases for past violations like DUIs or crash history, they cannot access records of foreigners and illegal immigrants. That loophole enabled at least 30 states to issue CDLs to drivers deemed ineligible.