Sean Duffy Condemns Court's Ruling on Illegal Immigrant CDLs, Vows 'Not to 'Take This Lying Down'

By Bob Hoge | 2:23 PM on November 18, 2025



AP Photo/Alex Brandon

As we’ve reported extensively, it turns out that — thanks to former President Joe Biden — there are thousands of illegal alien truckers on our roads with commercial driver’s licenses that should have never been issued. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy estimated that there have been over 17,000 handed out in California alone.

On Thursday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia put a pause on Duffy’s efforts to crack down on the practice of issuing CDLs to truckers who sometimes cannot even understand English or read basic road signs.

Duffy said he’s fighting back:

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blasted a court ruling Monday denying the Trump administration's request to keep illegal immigrants from getting commercial driver's licenses (CDL).

"We're not going to take this lying down," Duffy said on "The Ingraham Angle."

"We are going to do all we can to protect the American people."

Secretary Sean Duffy



@SecDuffy
·
Follow

People are dying from DANGEROUS foreign drivers operating big rigs on our roads.

We’re fighting a federal court ruling that claims my emergency order to stop this crisis isn’t actually an emergency. Tell that to the families who have lost loved ones to these unqualified drivers!

Show more



https://twitter.com/i/status/1990586037140144180

8:01 PM · Nov 17, 2025

The judges’ reasoning was… interesting:

The court found that the federal government did not follow proper procedure when creating the new rule, or explain how the rule would promote safety. They also noted that Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data shows about 5% of all commercial driver’s licenses belong to immigrants, though they only account for about 0.2% of fatal crashes.

Yes, but they’re still here illegally, and thus should not be given driver’s licenses, especially ones to drive massive trucks.

In October, Duffy said that there may be close to 200,000 licenses given out to illegals:

There were 200,000 non-domiciled CDLs issued to foreigners. We think 194,000 of them were issued illegally and would not comply with our new rule.

On Monday, he placed the blame squarely on Biden:

Gary D
@KMGGaryde
·
Follow

JUST NOW: Sec. Sean Duffy tells Laura Ingraham Angle that the Biden Admin let millions of illegals have CDL licenses!"Joe Biden let in 10 to 15 million illegal immigrants into the country.

Gave them work permits. Work authorization, and these folks went out and they got

Show more



https://twitter.com/i/status/1990587022449283202

8:05 PM · Nov 17, 2025

Gave them work permits. Work authorization, and these folks went out and they got commercial driver's licenses…

He went on to blast the judges for their seemingly arbitrary decision:

"People are dying," he said.

"And we thought it was appropriate to protect Americans and we should have an emergency rule, not to go through the month-long process. We did that. The court has rolled us back and said, 'Well, we're not quite sure this is an emergency. We want to see more data.' And I'm like… 'Watch any show on television, and you’ll see the risk to the American people.'"

We had a huge rainstorm Monday in my area, and as I was driving next to an 18-wheeler on the freeway, I couldn’t help but think, I hope the driver can understand the many hazard signs that were out. California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom, Joe Biden, and others have brought us this dangerous reality — and people have died because of it. Duffy is right to try and fix it, no matter how many courts try to stand in his way.

https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2025/11...-down-n2196318