WASHINGTON, D.C. — Republican lawmakers are demanding a federal investigation into so-called “CDL mills,” training programs accused of rapidly issuing commercial driver’s licenses to underqualified drivers — a growing concern following multiple fatal crashes involving illegal immigrant truckers.

In a letter sent Tuesday to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) urged a “rigorous probe” into CDL schools that they say are prioritizing profit over safety.

“CDL mills are substandard training programs that offer quick credentials,” the lawmakers wrote, warning that “rushed, test-focused courses” are producing drivers “ill-equipped to handle the real-world demands of interstate trucking.”

The lawmakers’ call follows the introduction of their Secure Commercial Driver Licensing Act of 2025, which aims to bar illegal immigrants from obtaining CDLs and ensure that all CDL testing is conducted in English.

The push comes after two high-profile fatal crashes:

• In Florida, Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India, allegedly caused a crash that killed three people after attempting an illegal U-turn with an 18-wheeler. He had reportedly failed his CDL test 10 times in Washington before receiving his license.

• In California, Jashanpreet Singh, another illegal immigrant from India, was accused of being under the influence of drugs when his semi plowed into stopped traffic on I-10, killing three and injuring several others.

Investigators later found that many foreign drivers, including Singh, received CDLs in states like California and Washington, where federal audits revealed widespread violations of licensing rules — with over 25% of foreign-issued CDLs found to be noncompliant.

Duffy’s Department of Transportation has already withheld $40 million in funding from California and warned the state could lose its authority to issue CDLs if it doesn’t meet federal standards.

DOT spokesperson Danna Almeida told the New York Post:

“This administration is laser-focused on reversing the erosion of regulatory standards that have created unsafe conditions for both truckers and the American families who share the roads with them.”

Cotton and Barr are now pressing Duffy to expand oversight, including mandatory behind-the-wheel training hours and stricter enforcement of federal Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) standards.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.