The House Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability held a hearing last week to examine the issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to illegal aliens and the associated public safety and national security concerns. The hearing, led by Subcommittee Chairman Josh Brecheen, included testimony from Tim Tipton, Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Safety; Richard Del Toro Jr., Sheriff of St. Lucie County, Florida; and Wendy Liu, Attorney at Public Citizen Litigation Group.
The issue is considered significant due to fatal crashes involving drivers with non-domiciled CDLs who were in the country illegally. Brecheen said that in 2025 alone, there were at least 17 fatal crashes resulting in 30 deaths caused by illegal aliens driving commercial vehicles with CDLs. He added, “These tragic incidents were caused by drivers who should never have been entrusted with a commercial driver’s license in the first place. These individuals were unfit to hold that credential and, if sanctuary states would follow existing standards and laws, would not qualify to receive one.”
Brecheen also referenced a June 2024 incident where five-year-old Dalilah Coleman was nearly killed when a tractor trailer driven by an illegal alien carrying a fraudulent non-domiciled CDL collided with her vehicle. He emphasized the need for vigilance: “We must make sure that states enforce the laws and keep these licenses out of the hands of unqualified people who are unlawfully present. This is not only a matter of public safety, but also a matter of national security.”
Commissioner Tipton testified about enforcement measures needed for public protection: “It’s such a critical area that an employee authorization document is not sufficient to be able to then turn around and go get a CDL… It’s obvious that the crackdown on the CDL mills—the schools that are supposedly safely training these folks—when our troopers encounter someone who has supposedly passed a test, has their CDL, and obviously can’t read and speak English and understand the rules of the road, those schools have to be shut down… For the safety of everybody involved... The cooperation with ICE is critical and can be done in a calm, legitimate, legal way.”
Rep. Vince Fong introduced his constituent Dalilah Coleman during testimony about injuries she suffered in San Bernardino County after being struck by an illegal immigrant driving an 18-wheeler: “Dalilah suffered lifelong injuries... And she has now worked very hard to relearn how to walk. The driver who illegally entered the United States in October of 2022 was released under the Biden administration and held a California-issued CDL. This preventable tragedy forever altered Dalilah’s bright future.”
Sheriff Del Toro Jr. described Florida's approach: “Florida only issues licenses to drivers who are in the country legally... Florida will also begin printing the words ‘non-domiciled’ on the license moving forward… Florida recently changed its policy that all driver’s license testing... must be taken in English only… It’s just a way to vet it out, increase our standards... to protect the public and enhance roadway safety.”
Looking ahead, Commissioner Tipton said coordinated efforts between states and federal authorities are necessary: “I believe it’s incumbent upon us to work in a coordinated effort across multiple states at the same time... if you really want to get a true enforcement and make some true action on this.”
