DOT Secretary Accuses Newsom Of ‘Lying,’ Says California Still Risks Losing $160M Over Illegal Licenses

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy accused Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom of lying, saying the state could lose nearly $160 million in federal funds if it fails to comply with a Jan. 5 deadline to revoke foreign trucker licenses.

A group of immigrant truckers sued California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) days before Christmas, alleging the agency violated workers’ rights by planning to revoke thousands of unlawfully issued licenses. With the original deadline set for Jan. 5, the DMV released a statement Tuesday announcing the deadline would be extended to March 6.

However, in a post linking to a report on the announcement, Duffy said Newsom was not only “lying,” but that there would be no federally granted extension for the licenses.

“Gavin Newsom is lying. The deadline to revoke illegally issued, unvetted foreign trucker licenses is still January 5. California does NOT have an “extension” to keep breaking the law and putting Americans at risk on the roads. Miss the deadline, Gavin, and the @USDOT will act — including cutting nearly $160 million in federal funding,” Duffy wrote.

Newsom’s office did not respond to the 🏢Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

In the lawsuit filed on behalf of roughly 20,000 immigrant drivers and business owners living in California, the plaintiffs argue that DMV administrative errors have put thousands of drivers at risk of losing their commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) and, consequently, their livelihoods. The filing came after the DMV admitted it unlawfully issued 17,000 non-domiciled CDLs to migrant drivers in the state.