The U.S. Department of Transportation has delivered a stark ultimatum to Minnesota: revoke thousands of commercial driver’s licenses illegally issued to noncitizens or forfeit $30.4 million in critical federal highway funding.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the federal intervention on December 1, following a comprehensive review by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that uncovered widespread violations in the state’s licensing practices.
The investigation revealed a troubling scope of illegal licensing activity, with one-third of Minnesota’s non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses having been issued unlawfully to individuals who were not legally authorized to receive them. This represents thousands of CDLs that were distributed in direct violation of federal regulations governing commercial vehicle operation.
The federal government’s discovery of these licensing irregularities has triggered a formal compliance review process that could result in severe financial consequences for Minnesota. The threatened $30.4 million represents a substantial portion of federal transportation funding that the state relies upon for highway maintenance, infrastructure improvements, and safety programs.
Secretary Duffy emphasized that the enforcement action was necessary to maintain the integrity of the nation’s commercial transportation system and ensure compliance with federal licensing standards. The move signals the federal government’s commitment to enforcing immigration-related transportation regulations across all states.
Minnesota now faces a critical decision point as state officials must choose between revoking the illegally issued licenses or accepting the loss of significant federal transportation funding. The state has not yet publicly announced its response to the federal ultimatum or provided a timeline for addressing the licensing violations.
This enforcement action represents one of the most significant federal interventions in state commercial licensing practices in recent years, highlighting ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement and state-level administrative decisions.
The financial impact of losing $30.4 million in federal highway funding would create substantial challenges for Minnesota’s transportation infrastructure, potentially affecting road maintenance schedules, safety improvements, and planned construction projects across the state.
