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US may withhold USD 50 million from California, Washington, and New Mexico after a deadly crash involving an Indian driver exposed failures to enforce trucker English proficiency and work authorization rules.
US may withhold tens of millions of dollars in federal funding from California, Washington, and New Mexico unless they enforce English proficiency rules for commercial truck drivers.
UPDATED: Aug 27, 2025 00:34 IST
The US Transportation Department on Tuesday said it may withhold tens of millions of dollars in federal funding from California, Washington, and New Mexico unless they enforce English proficiency rules for commercial truck drivers, a move triggered by a fatal crash involving an Indian driver who lacked legal work authorisation.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned the three states they have 30 days to comply or risk losing about USD 50 million combined from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, with California facing a potential loss of USD 33 million, Washington USD 10.5 million, and New Mexico USD 7 million.
The decision comes after an August 12 crash on a Florida highway that killed three people. Authorities said Harjinder Singh, an Indian national, attempted an illegal U-turn through an “Official Use Only” access point, causing a collision with a minivan.
Singh, who entered the US from Mexico in 2018, did not speak English and lacked authorisation to work as a commercial driver, according to federal and Florida officials. He faces three counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations and is being held without bond.
Federal officials argue Singh should never have received a commercial driver’s license. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said Singh had previously obtained a work permit during Donald Trump’s first term, renewed in April, a claim disputed by Homeland Security officials.
The Trump administration has intensified enforcement of truck driver language and work authorisation rules. In April, Trump signed an executive order reinstating a policy allowing inspectors to remove drivers from service for failing to meet English proficiency requirements, reversing 2016 guidance that had eased enforcement.
“Every commercial driver operating in the United States must be able to read road signs, communicate with law enforcement, and understand safety instructions,” said American Trucking Associations CEO Chris Spear. Duffy added, “This is about keeping people safe on the road we need to make sure those driving big rigs can understand the road signs and have been properly trained.”
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported that in 2023, approximately 16 percent of US truck drivers were born outside the United States. Federal investigators concluded California, Washington, and New Mexico were failing to properly enforce existing language rules, a lapse they say raises serious safety risks.
- Ends
With inputs from Reuters
Published By:
Aashish Vashistha
Published On:
Aug 27, 2025
