Illinois officials are facing a federal funding ultimatum after transportation regulators warned the state’s commercial driver licensing program is out of compliance.
According to Fox News, the U.S. Department of Transportation said in a letter that Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois driver services chief Kevin Duesterhaus issued a large number of commercial licenses to noncitizens in violation of federal rules.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the problems could cost Illinois $128 million in federal highway funding if the state does not correct them within 30 days.
“I need our state partners to understand that they work for the American people, not illegal immigrants who broke the law illegally entering our country and continue to break it by operating massive big rigs without the proper qualifications,” Duffy said.
He also criticized prior federal leadership, adding, “[Joe] Biden and [Pete] Buttigieg forced Americans to share their roads with unqualified and unvetted foreign drivers, but the Trump administration is putting the needs of American families first where they belong.”
Federal officials warned that continued noncompliance could lead to decertification of Illinois’ commercial driver’s license program by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
At issue are non-domiciled CDLs, which are issued to noncitizens who are not green card holders.
Federal rules require states to verify lawful presence and ensure license validity does not exceed a driver’s authorized stay in the country. Exceptions apply only to truckers from Mexico and Canada due to reciprocal agreements.
The audit cited cases involving drivers from multiple countries, including individuals who presented expired employment authorization documents or incomplete paperwork that should not have qualified them for licenses.
Federal officials said Illinois must immediately pause issuing non-domiciled CDLs, identify licenses that do not meet federal standards, revoke those that are noncompliant, and conduct an internal review.
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias pushed back on the warning, calling the potential funding loss a “threat” and defending the state’s program as “substantially compliant.”
“A strong economy depends on strong logistics,” Giannoulias said. “If trucks don’t move, supply chains fail, prices rise, and families feel it in their pocketbooks.”
His office said it will review the federal findings while noting concerns from agricultural groups about delays in licensing that could affect farm operations and supply chains.
The dispute now sets up a high-stakes showdown over federal transportation funding and Illinois’ role in regulating commercial drivers.
