U.S. Representative Mary Elizabeth Miller of Illinois’ 15th Congressional District said March 8 that “1 in 5 CDLs were issued illegally to noncitizens” following a federal audit of the state’s commercial driver licensing system.
The issue centers on compliance failures in verifying lawful presence for noncitizen applicants, which could put millions in federal highway funding at risk for Illinois trucking operations. The U.S. Department of Transportation audit found that expired work authorizations and incomplete documentation contributed to the problem, according to a post by Miller on X. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has given state officials a 30-day ultimatum to pause new issuances, suspend noncompliant licenses, and conduct an internal review or risk decertification of the state CDL program.
Federal reviews show that fraudulent commercial driver’s license (CDL) practices pose risks for Illinois trucking operations. A Department of Transportation sample revealed gaps in checking legal status for drivers from countries including El Salvador, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Moldova, and Singapore. These irregularities raise concerns about shell trucking companies using improperly licensed drivers and potential safety hazards affecting Midwest supply chains. Data from nearby Indiana enforcement reported 146 illegal-alien truck drivers arrested, many holding Illinois-issued licenses, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
National data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration indicate that non-domiciled CDL violations have caused safety incidents across multiple states. Audits found error rates exceeding 50% in New York and 49% in Texas, with similar patterns in Illinois. The agency linked 17 fatal crashes in one year to unvetted non-domiciled CDL holders whose fitness could not be confirmed under federal standards, highlighting broader safety and regulatory concerns as reported by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Miller said, “The clock is ticking for JB Pritzker and Alexi Giannoulias. IL Democrats must clean up the fraud in Illinois’ driver licensing system.” According to her official congressional profile she represents Illinois’s 15th District and serves on the House Committee on Agriculture as well as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
