Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has launched a legal battle at the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking to block California and Washington from issuing commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to immigrants who are not legally in the country. The dramatic move comes in the wake of a deadly August crash on the Florida Turnpike that killed three people, allegedly involving an undocumented truck driver licensed in both West Coast states.
The lawsuit, released Thursday, alleges that the “sanctuary state” policies of California and Washington have willfully disregarded federal safety and immigration-status requirements for commercial drivers. The filing asserts the states “chose to ignore these standards and authorize illegal immigrants without proper training or the ability to read road signs to drive commercial motor vehicles.”
Deadly Crash Triggers Federal Confrontation
National attention was drawn to the issue after the August crash in St. Lucie County. Semi-truck driver Harjinder Singh, a native of India, was arrested and charged after allegedly attempting an illegal U-turn on the turnpike, leading to a collision that resulted in three fatalities. Florida authorities contend Singh was in the country illegally but held valid CDLs from both California and Washington. During questioning, the driver reportedly failed English proficiency and road sign identification tests.
The Florida lawsuit doesn’t mince words, arguing that while the states’ decisions to “endanger their own citizens is reprehensible,” the danger is spread nationwide as “commercial drivers routinely cross state lines, endangering citizens of other states.”
Federal Funding and Political Fire
The legal challenge is heating up amid a larger federal crackdown. Earlier this week, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the withholding of approximately $40 million in federal highway funds from California, citing the state’s refusal to enforce English-language proficiency requirements for big-rig drivers.
“California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement,” Duffy stated, labeling it a “fundamental safety issue.” The action adds fuel to the already high-profile political conflict between the Trump administration and California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Democratic administration over immigration enforcement.
To bypass the lengthy lower court process, Florida filed a “motion for leave to file a bill of complaint” directly with the Supreme Court, arguing that the claims are constitutional and there is “no alternative forum to provide adequate relief.”
The suit demands an injunction to stop California and Washington from issuing CDLs to non-citizens or lawful permanent residents, claiming their policies create an “actionable public nuisance” on America’s roads.
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