Federal Funding at Risk for California, Washington, and New Mexico
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Tuesday that California, Washington, and New Mexico could lose millions in federal funding if they do not enforce English language mandates for truck drivers.
Investigation Reveals Compliance Issues
Following a fatal accident in Florida involving a foreign truck driver who made an illegal U-turn, an investigation uncovered significant enforcement failures in the three states concerning regulations that were implemented in June under one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders.
Driver Disqualification Standards
Duffy stated that truck drivers should be disqualified if they cannot demonstrate proficiency in English. He emphasized that the truck driver involved in the crash, which resulted in three fatalities, should not have held a commercial driver’s license due to his immigration status. The incident has sparked political tensions, particularly between the governors of California and Florida, with Duffy stressing the Trump administration’s concerns regarding immigration in various interviews.
States’ Noncompliance Consequences
“States don’t have the authority to selectively enforce federal safety regulations,” Duffy remarked. He asserted that the disregard for the law endangers public safety, as highlighted by the tragic Florida accident.
Inspection Findings in California
Duffy noted that California performed approximately 34,000 inspections since the new language requirement was implemented, identifying multiple safety violations. However, only one inspection resulted in a driver being removed from service for English language issues, while 23 drivers with violations from other states were permitted to continue driving after inspections in California.
Funding Implications
Duffy indicated that the states risk losing funds from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program if compliance is not achieved within 30 days. California faces a potential loss of $33 million, Washington $10.5 million, and New Mexico $7 million. The states did not respond immediately to the proposed sanctions.
Legal Proceedings Against the Driver
The driver involved, Harjinder Singh, faces vehicular homicide charges after the crash with a minivan and remains in custody without bond. Florida’s Highway Patrol indicated that Singh made the illegal U-turn, resulting in the deaths of three individuals. His immigration status is also under scrutiny, as he is reportedly in the country illegally, having entered from Mexico in 2018.
