Trump administration threatens Pa. over driver's licenses 'illegally' issued to immigrant truckers

Pennsylvania is facing a potential $75 million funding cut from the Trump administration over how it issues commercial driver's licenses to immigrants. The move comes after a US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy claimed that Pennsylvania has "illegally issued licenses" to ineligible noncitizens, citing a specific case involving Uzbekistan native Akhror Bozorov, who was released into the country with suspected terrorist ties and subsequently obtained a license.

The controversy centers on how Pennsylvania issues CDLs to immigrants, with Duffy accusing the state of not requiring proof of lawful presence in the US before issuing licenses. However, Governor Josh Shapiro has pushed back, pointing out that the federal government's database used by states is outdated and prone to errors. Shapiro argues that any questionable licenses issued in Pennsylvania are a result of problems with this database.

Duffy is demanding that Pennsylvania make changes to its CDL issuance process and has called for an immediate pause on issuing, renewing, and transferring licenses to noncitizens, as well as rescinding all noncompliant licenses. The Trump administration claims that two out of 150 drivers reviewed had licenses exceeding their lawful presence in the US.

The issue is part of a broader effort by the federal government to crack down on undocumented immigrants holding CDLs, following recent high-profile crashes involving such drivers. However, experts argue that the data suggests these drivers are relatively rare and do not pose a significant safety risk.

As the dispute continues, Pennsylvania officials have disputed allegations that they fail to follow federal rules for CDLs, stating that undocumented immigrants cannot obtain licenses in the state under current law. The matter is set to be reviewed by the General Assembly, Attorney General's office, and Auditor General's office.

This whole thing seems kinda fishy to me... Like, how can they just cut funding over one case? And what's with the database being outdated? Shouldn't we be using more modern tech for these kinds of things? Also, if two out of 150 drivers exceeded their lawful presence, shouldn't that be a small sample size to make a big claim about? The US Transportation Secretary is making some pretty bold accusations against Pennsylvania without doing his due diligence. It's not like they're just handing out licenses left and right... There should be some kind of oversight or review process in place. I mean, we all want safe roads, but this seems more like a witch hunt to me.

omg u guys cant believe what's happening rn ?? its like pennsylvania is being bullied by the trump admin over some immigration issues with cdls i mean we all know how that's going down - a single case in which this guy akhror gets a license and suddenly it's like pennsylvania is issuing licenses willy nilly to every immigrant ?? please we all know thats not true

anyway the thing is shapiro says its all because of those outdated federal databases lol like what even is that experts are saying these ppl w/ cdls dont pose a significant risk on road safety but the admin is still trying to shut it down and now pennsylvania is facing a huge 75 million funding cut which is super sus

i swear if i was in pennsylvanias shoes i would just make those licenses mandatory for immigrants lol like who cares about paperwork when u can drive around safely ? but idc the drama's just gonna keep going on

I'm thinking... this whole thing is kinda crazy! Pennsylvania shouldn't have to change how they issue CDLs just because some guy thinks there was a mistake with one license . Like, what even is the deal with that? And what's with the Trump admin trying to crack down on undocumented immigrants holding CDLs? It seems like they're making a mountain out of a molehill . I mean, two drivers out of 150 is still pretty rare, right? Plus, if Pennsylvania has its own laws for licensing, shouldn't that be respected? This whole thing just smells like politics to me ...

this is crazy what's going on with pennsylvania's cdls... i mean if 2 out of 150 drivers had licenses that didn't match their presence in us it's still super low right? shouldn't we be focusing on real safety risks rather than this?

I'm so tired of these forum threads where people just don't get it. Like, come on, a $75 million funding cut isn't even the issue here... it's all about how Pennsylvania issues CDLs to immigrants. I mean, can't we just have a conversation about this without throwing around "illegally issued licenses" like they're going out of style?

And what really gets my goat is that the US Transportation Secretary is using some dude's questionable past as an example to try and justify their stance. Like, newsflash: one bad apple doesn't make a whole batch of problems.

I think it's time for us to have a more nuanced discussion about this issue... one that actually considers all the facts and context. Not just regurgitating soundbites or scare-mongering about "undocumented immigrants" holding CDLs.

Wow, this is crazy ! I mean, can't we just have a system where people prove they're here legally before getting their license? Like, how hard is it to require proof of presence? The fact that the feds are threatening to cut funding over this is just ridiculous . And what's with the database being outdated? That sounds like a classic case of blaming the victim . Interesting that experts say these drivers aren't even posing a significant safety risk... maybe we should focus on fixing the system rather than targeting certain groups .

I think it's a bit concerning when the Trump administration starts meddling with states' licensing processes, especially on issues like commercial driver's licenses. It raises questions about the role of federal oversight and whether this is more about enforcing an anti-immigrant policy than ensuring public safety . While it's true that Pennsylvania may have a flawed database system, I'm not convinced that the state's approach to issuing licenses to immigrants is inherently problematic. The idea that only 2 out of 150 drivers had licenses exceeding their lawful presence in the US seems relatively small and might be an example of cherry-picking data . What worries me more is the precedent this sets for states' rights vs federal overreach, and how it could affect other immigrants and minority groups

ugh, this is so frustrating ... how can you mess up something as important as CDLs? like, i get that they wanna crack down on people who shouldn't be driving, but is it really worth cutting 75 million from pennsylvania?! that's a lot of money for schools, hospitals and roads. and what about all the ppl who have been living in usa for years, paying taxes and contributing to society? shouldn't they be able to get their licenses too?! i mean, the trumps just say one thing but the stats show its not that common... maybe they're trying to scare ppl into doing something they don't want to do. anyway, lets hope pennsylvania can figure out this mess and get back to issuing licenses without all this drama

I don't usually comment but... it seems kinda weird that they're being so strict about this whole CDL thing, considering how many people have valid licenses already . Like, what's the harm in having a few non-citizens on the road? It's not like they're just gonna start driving recklessly or something . And I don't think it's fair that Pennsylvania is being singled out for this, considering other states might be doing similar things behind the scenes . Plus, I'm curious about this database issue - if it's so outdated and prone to errors, how can you even trust the data they're using to make these claims?

I think this whole thing is a big misunderstanding . I mean, we're talking about people who just want to get on their trucks and deliver stuff, you know? They're not exactly planning on escaping or anything . And the fact that there's been some mistakes with the database is like, no surprise . It's a complicated system and stuff gets lost in translation sometimes.

And let's be real, two out of 150 drivers being over their lawful presence doesn't necessarily mean we should cut off all non-compliant licenses . I know there have been some high-profile crashes involving CDL holders who are undocumented, but that's not exactly the norm .

I think what's really going on here is a big case of finger-pointing . The state's saying they're following federal rules, and then the feds are coming in with all these demands for changes... it's like we're playing a game of whack-a-mole . Can't we just have a calm conversation about how to fix this problem instead of throwing around threats and accusations?

I'm so worried about this ! Can you believe the admin is trying to pull a fast one on Pennsylvanians? It's not fair that they're taking it out on 150 drivers just because of some rare cases. I mean, who's really at fault here? The state or the outdated federal database that's clearly causing more problems than it's solving? And what about all the other states that probably have similar issues and aren't getting targeted like this? It's a total double standard!

"The ultimate test of a man's character is how he treats his enemies." This case highlights the importance of verifying information before jumping to conclusions. It seems like Sean Duffy has made some sweeping accusations against Pennsylvania, but Governor Shapiro points out that it might be due to outdated federal data. Let's keep an open mind and not rush into action without having all the facts.

Ugh, can you believe this? Like, I get it, safety first and all that, but come on, a $75 million cut over one little thing? It's not like Pennsylvania is running some kind of black market CDL program here. And what's with the Uzbekistan native guy getting all the attention? Poor dude just got in the country for asylum reasons and now he's gotta deal with this?

And don't even get me started on Sean Duffy, man. He's like a one-man immigration policy nightmare . First of all, his claims are totally based on some outdated database that's prone to errors, so yeah, that's not exactly reassuring. But at the same time, I can see why he'd want to crack down on this – those high-profile crashes do make you wonder if there's some correlation.

But here's the thing: experts say these drivers are super rare and don't pose a huge risk, so like, what's the real motive here? Is it just about enforcing the rules or is there something more going on? I mean, I'm not saying Pennsylvania is in the wrong or anything, but come on, let's keep things in perspective here. It's all just a big mess, right?

I'm concerned about this situation, it seems kinda unfair . I mean, if someone comes to US on a visa or something, they should have gone through the proper channels to get their licenses. But at the same time, I think Gov Shapiro has a point that our database might be outdated, and we can't blame the state for that .

I'm not sure why the Trump admin is being so harsh on this issue . Like, yeah, it's bad when people drive with licenses they shouldn't have, but do we really need to cut $75 million from Pennsylvania? That seems like a big overreaction to me .

I think the real problem here is that our immigration system can be super confusing and prone to errors . Maybe instead of cutting funding, we should focus on fixing those problems and making sure everyone follows the rules .

omg I just saw the most adorable puppy video on tiktok , it was like a fluffy ball of joy . anyway, back to this Pennsylvania thing... $75 million is like, a lot of money , but I guess they don't wanna fund it if ppl are gettin licenses from immigrants . but what's the harm in that tho? I mean, most ppl aren't terrorists or somethin . and isn't that database thingy a hot mess? like how do they even keep track of all this stuff?

I'm telling ya, this whole thing is a big mess . First off, let's get one thing straight - the Trump admin is just trying to score some brownie points with their "law and order" crowd. Newsflash: it's not about national security, it's about controlling people's freedom.

And, oh boy, Sean Duffy needs a refresher course on how the federal database works . If it's outdated, why is he still using it? And what's up with this "exceeding lawful presence" thing? Is that even a real thing?

I'm also not buying the claim that only 2 out of 150 drivers had licenses beyond their visas . That's like saying "only" two people in a crowd are wearing the wrong socks - it's still a lot and not exactly reassuring.

The fact that Pennsylvania is trying to assert its own state laws on this issue makes sense, though . I mean, they're right that undocumented immigrants can't get licenses here, period. It's just a matter of how we handle the problem.

This whole thing needs to be looked at from a more nuanced perspective . Let's focus on safety and common sense rather than trying to score some ideological points.

omg what a mess this is like totally not fair akhror bozorov is just trying to get back on his feet after being released into the country with suspected terrorist ties lol who knows if he was ever even that and another thing what's up with sean duffy making all these accusations without knowing all the facts it sounds like pennsylvania's doing its part to help immigrants, they're just trying to follow the rules as much as possible and i totally agree with governor shapiro about that outdated database though it's gotta be updated ASAP so we can make sure everyone is on the same page

Umm this is crazy , like who gets a commercial driver's license without proof of being in the US legally? That just doesn't seem right . And what's with all these cases popping up about immigrants getting licenses? It's not like they're driving around recklessly or something... I mean some people do make mistakes but cutting off funding to PA is kinda harsh . And can we talk about how outdated that federal database is? That's just a recipe for errors and stuff happening . Maybe we should focus on keeping roads safe instead of going after these drivers, you know?

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans - John Lennon

I'm not surprised that the Trump administration is cracking down on this issue, but at the same time I think it's unfair to single out Pennsylvania just because of one case. It's like saying a whole state is guilty based on one apple that didn't quite meet the standards

Also, can we talk about how outdated the federal government's database is? That's what's really causing all these problems, not the states issuing licenses to immigrants. We need to address the root of the issue here, not just punish the states for it