Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Trump administration will withhold $40 million in funding to California over its failure to enforce minimum English comprehension standards for truck drivers, Fox News reported. This issue has come to the forefront following a devastating crash caused by an illegal immigrant truck driver that killed three people.
While traveling on a Florida road in August, driver Harjinder Singh made an illegal U-turn, causing a vehicle to crash into the tractor-trailer he was operating. The driver, a citizen of India, held a commercial license issued in California despite several factors that should have precluded him from receiving one.
Singh had entered illegally through Mexico in 2018, and despite being in the country illegally, California claims he was issued a license because he had a valid work permit. The truck driver reportedly failed the required English proficiency exam but was given a commercial license in California and Washington state.
The crash happened after President Donald Trump issued an executive order mandating minimum English proficiency standards for commercial truck drivers. Duffy blames California's failure to enforce the standard for this crash and others like it, and has now threatened to withhold funding.
The transportation secretary posted on X, formerly Twitter, about the policy change on Wednesday. "I’m withholding 40 MILLION DOLLARS in funding for California because they can’t get their priorities straight," Duffy announced.
"The Golden State thinks it’s OK to ignore @USDOT English language requirements for truckers. You can play all the games you want, but not at the expense of American lives," he added.
The post was accompanied by photos showing the aftermath of some of the crashes as well as the alleged perpetrators. Many others who shared the post noted that it was Duffy's moment to get tough with California, a state which has openly given aid and comfort tp illegal immigrants.
🚨💸I’m withholding 40 MILLION DOLLARS in funding for California because they can’t get their priorities straight.
The Golden State thinks it’s OK to ignore @USDOT English language requirements for truckers.
You can play all the games you want, but not at the expense of… pic.twitter.com/0fl8gfURXB
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) October 15, 2025
A Department of Transportation memo issued on Wednesday outlined plans for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to hold back $40,685,225 from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. In it, Duffy specifically blamed California Gov. Gavin Newsom's unwillingness to follow the law, which surely has Democrats raging.
States like California use the grants to "conduct roadside inspections, traffic enforcement, safety audits of trucking companies, and public education campaigns." Duffy said that since California failed to comply with the English language requirement, it would not receive the funds, and the Golden State only has its leaders to blame.
"I put states on notice this summer: enforce the Trump Administration’s English language requirements or the checks stop coming. California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement," Duffy noted.
"This is a fundamental safety issue that impacts you and your family on America’s roads," he added. Duffy blamed Newsom for forcing him to take action by flouting the federal standards. "Let me be clear – this is valuable money that should be going to the great men and women in California law enforcement, who we support," Duffy said.
"Gov. Newsom’s insistence on obstructing federal law has tied my hands," he added. The memo stated that the only way for California to get out of this is to begin immediately conducting English language proficiency stops and enforcing the law if they don't pass.
The American people deserve to be safe on the road, knowing that the people driving heavy commercial vehicles have been properly vetted and trained. California is purposefully putting lives at risk for the sake of protecting illegal immigrants, and it's about time someone put a stop to it.
