U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has issued a warning to New York, threatening to withhold $73 million in federal highway funds unless the state addresses serious concerns surrounding the issuance of commercial drivers' licenses to immigrants.
Duffy's concerns were raised after a federal audit revealed that more than half of the 200 licenses reviewed in New York were issued inappropriately. Many of these licenses remained valid for eight years, irrespective of when an immigrant's work permit expired. Duffy highlighted that the state could not confirm proper verification of immigration status for approximately 32,000 active non-domiciled commercial licenses.
This scrutiny follows a tragic incident in Florida, where an unauthorized truck driver caused a crash that resulted in the deaths of three people. Duffy's initiative to ensure that all commercial drivers are properly certified has led his department to audit non-domiciled licenses nationwide, with New York being the latest state under examination.
Despite the criticisms, New York's administrators argue that they are adhering to federal guidelines in issuing commercial driver’s licenses. State DMV spokesperson Walter McClure defended the state's practices amidst Duffy's allegations.
The state has 30 days to respond to Duffy's findings. Duffy's comments reflect a larger debate about immigrant licensing practices across the U.S., particularly as federal investigations have exposed similar issues in states like California and Pennsylvania.
