Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has fired a warning shot at three Democrat-run states over their failure to enforce federal English proficiency rules for commercial truck drivers.
According to NBC News, Duffy targeted California, Washington, and New Mexico, giving them just 30 days to comply or risk losing critical funds from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. This program supports state and local efforts to boost safety for commercial vehicles on the nation’s roads.
The move comes after a tragic crash in Florida that claimed three lives, a case conservatives argue highlights the dangers of lax enforcement of federal safety standards. Duffy’s ultimatum is a clear signal that the Trump administration won’t tolerate states ignoring rules meant to protect the public.
The Florida accident, involving a driver named Harjinder Singh, has become a flashpoint in this dispute. Authorities claim Singh, a migrant who entered the U.S. illegally in 2018, caused the fatal collision and had previously failed an English proficiency test.
Duffy pointed to Singh’s case as evidence of systemic failure, noting that the driver obtained his commercial license in California and had interactions with law enforcement in all three targeted states. “States don’t get to pick and choose which federal safety rules to follow,” Duffy declared, tying the tragedy directly to inadequate oversight.
Singh’s arrest by the U.S. Marshals Service this month added fuel to the fire, with conservatives framing the incident as a consequence of misguided border and safety policies. Law enforcement even needed translation services to interview Singh post-crash, underscoring the very issue Duffy is pressing.
California’s response, via a spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom, was predictably sharp, blaming the Trump administration for approving Singh’s federal work permit in the first place. “Sean’s nonsense announcement is as big a joke as the Trump Administration itself. SAD!” quipped Diana Crofts-Pelayo, though such snark hardly addresses the core safety concern.
New Mexico’s Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office took a more measured tone, with spokesperson Michael Coleman stating they are seeking clarity on the claims, which reportedly involve only a handful of roadside incidents. Still, dismissing the issue as minor feels tone-deaf when lives are at stake.
Washington, meanwhile, claims not to have even received Duffy’s letter, with a spokesperson for Gov. Bob Ferguson promising a careful review once it arrives. This delay tactic seems less like diligence and more like dodging accountability on a pressing federal mandate.
The English proficiency rule for truck drivers isn’t new, but its enforcement has varied over time, with the Obama administration downgrading penalties to mere citations rather than barring non-compliant drivers from the road. President Trump’s executive order in May, followed by Duffy’s directive, reversed that leniency, demanding drivers who fail the standard be pulled from service.
This shift back to strict enforcement is long overdue when you consider the potential for disaster on highways packed with massive commercial rigs. Duffy’s frustration is palpable as he noted Singh’s prior speeding violation in July, questioning why New Mexico didn’t take his vehicle out of service then.
The broader context here is a clash between federal authority and state autonomy, with Duffy asserting that one driver’s deadly path through three states proves the need for uniform compliance. His stance is simple: safety isn’t negotiable, no matter the political leanings of a state’s leadership.
Florida’s response to the crash—setting up checkpoints with federal and state partners to enforce immigration and language rules for drivers—shows at least one state taking the issue seriously. It’s a practical step that other states might do well to mirror before more tragedies unfold.
The finger-pointing between state officials and the Trump administration, like Newsom’s office claiming on X that federal authorities “FAILED to revoke” Singh’s permit, misses the bigger picture of shared responsibility. Bickering over who issued what permit won’t bring back the lives lost or prevent the next preventable crash.
At the end of the day, Duffy’s push to hold states accountable is a stand for the everyday driver who shouldn’t have to gamble with safety on the highway. If California, Washington, and New Mexico can’t get on board with basic federal rules, they shouldn’t be surprised when the funding spigot gets turned off—and deservedly so.
