Illinois Faces Federal Reckoning After Audit Reveals 1 in 5 Commercial Licenses Issued Illegally
A federal audit has uncovered that nearly one in five nondomiciled commercial driver’s licenses issued by Illinois violated federal requirements. The U.S. Transportation Department has ordered the state to revoke these licenses within 30 days or risk losing federal highway funding.
In a letter dated February 17, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported that sampling 150 nondomiciled commercial driver’s license records from Illinois’ secretary of state’s office revealed 29 noncompliant licenses. The agency described these findings as evidence of systemic errors in policy, procedure, and programming.
The letter, addressed to Governor JB Pritzker and Kevin Duesterhaus, director of driver services, noted Illinois had reported issuing 10,088 non-domiciled commercial learner permits or CDLs that remain unexpired. FMCSA identified cases where license validity extended beyond the expiration dates of documents proving lawful presence, as well as instances where Illinois could not provide evidence of verified lawful presence.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced an immediate pause on issuing new or renewed non-domiciled commercial credentials in Illinois until the FMCSA accepts and confirms implementation of a corrective action plan. In the department’s release, Duffy stated: “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.” He also added: “Biden and 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.”
The FMCSA’s letter constitutes a preliminary determination. Illinois has 30 calendar days to respond by detailing corrective steps or challenging the findings under applicable procedures. A final determination of noncompliance could result in withheld federal highway funds and decertification of the state’s CDL program.
FMCSA estimates Illinois could lose up to $64.3 million in fiscal year 2027 and $128.6 million in subsequent years if noncompliance persists. The audit highlights why commercial driver licenses undergo rigorous federal oversight, as they authorize operation of large vehicles in interstate commerce and tie state compliance directly to safety goals and transportation funding.
This week, FMCSA finalized a rule tightening eligibility requirements for non-domiciled CDLs held by foreign-domiciled individuals, effective mid-March.
The Florida Highway Patrol reported an incident involving Harjinder Singh, a semi-truck driver who made an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike in August, causing a fatal crash that killed three people in a minivan. Authorities determined Singh entered the United States illegally in 2018 and later obtained a commercial license in California.
Of the 23 states under FMCSA review for non-domiciled CDLs, 14 have Democratic governors and nine have Republican governors.
