As issues regarding the integrity of non-domiciled CDLs have taken center stage nationally, Oklahoma recently partnered with ICE for a three-day enforcement effort.
According to a news release from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently arrested 130 commercial truck drivers for various violations at the Beckham County Port of Entry.
“Oklahomans deserve safe highways,” Corporation Commission Chair Kim David said. “We appreciate the opportunity to assist ICE and DPS Troop S by removing non-compliant and dangerous drivers from our roads. By working together as law enforcement partners, we’re reducing risks for every driver.”
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission said the enforcement focused on CDL holders licensed and registered in the state of California.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt also issued a news release about “Operation Guardian,” saying the Oklahoma Highway Patrol partnered with ICE on the raid. Stitt said the operation resulted in the apprehension of more than 125 illegal immigrants from such countries as India, Uzbekistan, China, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Tajikstan, Ukraine and Mauritania. In the release, Still included a photo of a CDL from New York that included “No Name Given.”
“If New York wants to hand out CDLs to illegal immigrants with ‘No Name Given,’ that’s on them,” Stitt said. “I want to thank our troopers and ICE officials for their hard work. This is about keeping Oklahomans safe.”
In response to an email from Land Line, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission declined to provide any additional comment.
The announcement comes days after the U.S. Department of Transportation said it was going to drastically reduce the number of people who could receive non-domiciled CDLs.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the current process is allowing unqualified and illegal drivers to operate commercial motor vehicles across the nation.
“The process for issuing these licenses is absolutely 100% broken,” Duffy said during a news conference on Friday, Sept. 26. “It has become a threat to public safety, and it is a national emergency that requires action right now.”
The new system will make non-citizens ineligible for a non-domiciled CDL unless they meet stricter requirements, including an employment-based visa and a federal immigration status check.
Findings from a recent audit called out such states as California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington and Texas for “systemic non-compliance.”
Duffy also announced direct enforcement against California. The state must immediately pause the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs and identify all non-domiciled CDLs that fail to comply with regulations. The state also must revoke and reissue all noncompliant non-domiciled CDLs if they comply with the new federal requirements.
The DOT said that a review of California’s non-domiciled CDLs revealed that more than 25% of its non-domiciled CDLs were improperly issued. Duffy said California had 30 days to come into compliance or that FMCSA would withhold $160 million in federal highway funds for the first year.
As of press time, California officials hadn’t responded to requests from Land Line. However, CNN reported that a spokesperson for California Gov. Gavin Newsom noted that California CDL holders had a crash rate nearly 40% lower than the national average.
Meanwhile, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced on Monday, Sept. 29 that it was immediately suspending the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs and all CDLs to non-citizens who are refugees, asylees or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients. LL
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