
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The next time you see an 18-wheeler on the road, you better pray that the driver is competent, A surprising number of those behind the wheel of those monstrous vehicles are not.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The problem stems from the fact that 130,000 of the 1.2 million of those holding a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) are undocumented (illegal) aliens who obtained licenses through fraud, bribery or lax enforcement of the rule. In addition, there are potentially hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals who hold CDLs, many of whom cannot speak or read English – a minimum legal requirement.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The language requirement has been circumvented in several states. ;  ;California, Illinois and New York have issued more than 1 million CDLs to undocumented individuals since 2023. The American Immigration Council reports that in Texas, 25 percent (95,000) CDLs have gone to undocumented individuals.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires CDL holder to be proficient in English &#8212; able to read signs and understand the rules of the road &#8212; thousands of truckers do not meet the minimum requirements.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ;(NHTSA), large truck crashes in 2023 killed more than 5,700 people—with 814 deaths involving drivers lacking English language skills. ; The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that 1 out of 7 fatal truck accidents involves an undocumented driver.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">One of the most tragic cases involved an accident in Wisconsin involving an undocumented truck driver who obtained a CDL in Illinois. ; Several motorists used CB radio to warn the driver of a large piece of metal of some type was dangling from the back of the trailer. ; He never understood the warning since he did not speak any English. ; The piece fell off, hitting a vehicle and causing it to burst into flames. ; Five young children died in the fire as their parents desperately tried to reach them.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It was later learned that the driver obtained his CDL through bribery – which kicked off a bribery scandal that resulted with Illinois Governor George Ryan going to prison – among others.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order strengthening enforcement of Englishâlanguage requirements for commercial drivers. The order required all commercial truck drivers to demonstrate English proficiency &#8212; and rescinded earlier guidance that had allowed more flexible interpretations of the rule. The administration described the measure as a “nonânegotiable safety requirement,” emphasizing that the ability to read signs and communicate with officials is essential for preventing accidents.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Amazingly, the commonsense Order was met with mixed reactions. Industry groups supported the stricter enforcement &#8212; arguing that it would improve safety and reduce liability for trucking companies. Others, including a number of Democratic lawmakers and labor advocates, expressed concern that the policy could worsen driver shortages, lead to discriminatory enforcement and needlessly remove people from jobs.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Critics of the Trump Order also argued that the trucking industry relies heavily on immigrant labor, and that “overly rigid” language requirements could harm workers and reduce economic output.  ; ;“Overly rigid”? ; The rule seems more like common sense.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I am inclined to believe that hiring foreign nationals with limited English skills – whether undocumented, here on some legal status and even naturalized citizens with limited English language skills. It is not a matter of immigration status. ; It is a matter of competence and ; common sense. Sop, there ‘tis.</p>

Licensing Foreign Nationals as Truck Drivers is Killing Americans
