Trump Administration Threatens Pennsylvania Over Immigrant Driver's Licenses

Fri Nov 21 2025 06:40:19 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warns Pennsylvania to revoke licenses issued to immigrants or risk losing $75 million in funding, drawing criticism from state officials and raising questions about federal database reliability.

The Trump administration has issued a $75 million funding ultimatum to Pennsylvania over alleged illegal commercial driver’s licenses granted to immigrants. This demand echoes similar actions against California, with both states led by Democratic governors who oppose Trump's policies. Concurrently, concerns have emerged regarding the integrity of federal databases used to validate immigrant statuses, as highlighted by recent incidents involving unauthorized immigrant drivers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has issued a stark warning to Pennsylvania’s government, threatening to withhold nearly $75 million in federal funding if the state does not take immediate action to revoke what it contends are illegally issued commercial driver’s licenses to immigrants.

This ultimatum, delivered by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, mirrors similar actions taken against California, another state led by a Democratic governor critical of President Trump's administration and viewed as a potential frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in 2028.

Duffy has ramped up scrutiny of such licenses since a tragic incident in Florida last summer involving a truck driver without proper immigration status, which resulted in a fatal accident. This event has drawn attention to the processes surrounding the issuance of driver’s licenses to non-citizens.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has been urged to halt the issuance, renewal, and transfer of commercial driver’s licenses while also auditing current licenses to ensure compliance with federal laws regarding lawful presence.

The state has stated that it ceased issuing new licenses to noncitizens following updated regulations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which impose strict limits on who can obtain such permits. However, a federal court ruling currently holds this regulation temporarily.

Amid this controversy, Shapiro has criticized the reliability of the database maintained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which states utilize to verify immigrant status before issuing driver’s licenses. His concerns were amplified after DHS arrested an individual with Pennsylvania-issued licenses who had connections to a terrorist organization. Shapiro defended his transportation department’s decision, asserting that they followed all protocols when issuing the license in question, emphasizing the government’s failure to maintain an accurate and up-to-date database.

As these developments unfold, the dichotomy between federal oversight and state governance continues to spark debate, with both sides poised for confrontation.