Florida has taken its legal battle to the U.S. Supreme Court, accusing California of creating dangerous conditions on national highways by issuing commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to individuals living in the country illegally.
Attorney General James Uthmeier claims these licenses violate federal safety standards requiring truck operators to be proficient in English.
Uthmeier announced the lawsuit Wednesday, emphasizing that Florida has already faced deadly consequences from drivers unable to meet minimum language and safety requirements.
He said federal authorities have failed to act, leaving other states to manage the hazards on their own highways.
“We can do everything right, but we still suffer when Gavin Newsom and liberals on the West Coast allow these illegals in,” Uthmeier told Sean Hannity on Fox News. “They encourage them, enable them to get these driver’s licenses, and then they cross the country and ultimately take lives.”
The lawsuit stems from an August crash on Florida’s Turnpike. Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old illegal immigrant from India holding a CDL from California, attempted a risky U-turn in his 18-wheeler, resulting in three fatalities.
Authorities later determined that Singh could barely speak English and could not read road signs, deficiencies Florida says would have disqualified him from legally operating a commercial truck.
Florida’s petition places responsibility on Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), noting that state policies bar agencies from verifying immigration status.
The filing calls California’s approach a public safety threat and a violation of federal standards.
“California routinely frustrates and hinders federal law enforcement from addressing the immigration crisis and the destruction that accompanies it,” the petition reads, labeling the policies an “actionable public nuisance.”
The legal action asks the Supreme Court to prevent California from issuing CDLs to individuals not lawfully present in the U.S., asserting that federal law supersedes state sanctuary policies that disregard residency and training requirements, The Daily Chronicle reports.
Federal officials have already intervened.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy withheld $40 million in highway funds from California, citing its failure to enforce English-language requirements.
The state was given 30 days to comply or risk losing up to $160 million more, according to RedState.
Florida has also strengthened enforcement on its own highways.
Inspection stations along Interstate 10 and agricultural checkpoints now verify the credentials of drivers holding out-of-state licenses.
Nearly 150 illegal drivers have been intercepted and referred to federal authorities since the measures were implemented.
Officials caution that some drivers may still attempt to evade inspections.
An Oklahoma farmer near a weigh station reported truckers leaving the highway early and using back roads to bypass checkpoints.
Authorities have deployed cameras along these alternative routes to monitor compliance.
While California is the main target, Florida also cites Washington state as a secondary concern.
The petition notes that similar licensing practices in Washington could pose hazards for other states, though the primary focus remains on California and its policies under Newsom.
Singh remains in custody awaiting trial on vehicular homicide and immigration violations. Uthmeier stressed that the issue extends beyond a single driver.
“They are knowingly aware of the dangers that their policies cause,” he said. “They know that by giving people these truckers licenses who don’t speak English, they’re putting families on the road in jeopardy. Lives are lost. They know about it. They need to be held responsible.”
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