New York Sues Federal Government Over Highway Funding Dispute
On Friday, New York State filed a lawsuit against the federal Department of Transportation, challenging its decision to withhold approximately $74 million in highway funding. The move comes in response to the state’s refusal to revoke around 33,000 commercial driver’s licenses issued to immigrants, following an audit last year that raised concerns about the validity of these licenses.
This lawsuit mirrors similar actions taken by California against Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s initiatives to tighten the criteria for immigrant qualifications for commercial driver’s licenses. Both states are pushing back against increased scrutiny and potential penalties tied to their licensing practices.
While the federal government did not provide comments regarding the lawsuit, officials reported serious deficiencies discovered in over half of the 200 licenses reviewed. Among these issues, licenses were found to be valid for an excessive duration beyond the permissible timeframe for visa holders. Notably, New York City’s computer system was programmed to issue licenses valid for eight years, disregarding the actual lengths of the drivers’ visas.
The debate intensified after Secretary Duffy highlighted a tragic incident in August involving an unlicensed truck driver who made an illegal U-turn in Florida, leading to the death of three individuals. In a separate case, California lost $200 million in funding due to concerns about its enforcement of English language requirements for non-resident commercial drivers. Several other states, including Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and North Carolina, have received warnings regarding the risk of similar funding losses.
Attorney General Calls It Political Retaliation
New York Attorney General Letitia James asserted that the state has complied with all relevant regulations at the time the commercial licenses were issued and intends to uphold their validity. James emphasized that withholding $73.5 million from the state is unreasonable, particularly given that all investigated cases confirmed the license holders were authorized to be in the country when they obtained their licenses.
In a statement, James underscored the importance of these funds for maintaining safe roads and bridges, claiming, “By canceling this funding, the federal government is putting jobs and communities at risk. New Yorkers rely on these investments.”
Governor Kathy Hochul echoed these sentiments, referring to an audit conducted during the Trump administration that verified New York’s compliance with federal regulations. She expressed concern over what she described as punitive measures by the current administration and stated, “It’s reckless and illegal to take away money that could go toward important road safety improvements.”
Efforts to Improve Safety in Trucking
Secretary Duffy is not only focused on narrowing the criteria for immigrant drivers but is also taking steps to target ineffective trucking schools and companies that evade regulations by changing their names. The push for more stringent regulations began under the Trump administration, which emphasized the necessity for truck drivers to possess fluency in English. Duffy noted that language proficiency is crucial in ensuring effective communication during traffic stops or accidents, especially when hazardous materials are involved.
Industry advocates have welcomed these initiatives, arguing that they address the risk posed by unlicensed drivers operating large trucks. They assert that such practices compromise overall highway safety and suppress fair wages by allowing companies to hire cheaper immigrant drivers.
Criticism from Immigrant Groups
Immigrants represent approximately 20% of all truck drivers, yet only about 5% of commercial driver’s licenses, around 200,000, are available to non-residents. Immigration advocacy groups claim this situation unfairly targets many eligible drivers. Concerns have been heightened following the identification of Sikh drivers involved in fatal accidents in Florida and California, prompting a lawsuit against California’s decision to revoke 20,000 commercial licenses.
Last fall, the Department of Transportation aimed to implement emergency regulations limiting non-citizens’ access to licenses. However, a court intervened, halting these regulations due to procedural inconsistencies in their formulation. In February, Duffy announced a revised set of rules that impose stricter eligibility requirements for immigrant drivers seeking commercial permits, limiting approvals solely to holders of specific visa categories, such as H-2a, H-2b, and E-2 visas.
