Trump Administration Threatens Funding Over Pennsylvania Driver’s Licenses for Immigrants

Fri Nov 21 2025 09:49:38 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The U.S. Transportation Secretary has warned Pennsylvania officials about withholding nearly $75 million in funding unless the state revokes commercial driver’s licenses allegedly issued to immigrants unlawfully. This follows similar actions against California amidst rising tensions between state governance and federal regulation.

In a significant move, the Trump administration has issued threats to Pennsylvania, asserting that nearly $75 million in federal funding could be withheld if the state does not revoke certain commercial driver's licenses believed to have been improperly issued to immigrants. This action, led by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, follows similar threats made towards California. The issue gained heightened visibility after a tragic incident involving an unauthorized driver in Florida led to fatalities. The situation places Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro in a challenging position, as he defends the licensing practices amidst critiques of federal oversight.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has threatened Pennsylvania with the withholding of nearly $75 million in federal funding unless state officials rectify what the administration describes as the illegal issuance of commercial driver's licenses to immigrants.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy directed this threat to Pennsylvania following earlier comparable actions aimed at California. Both states are presided over by Democratic governors who are frequent critics of President Trump and are perceived as potential challengers for the 2028 presidential nomination.

Since August, Duffy has prioritized a review of how commercial driver’s licenses are issued, especially after a tragic incident in Florida involving a driver not authorized to be in the U.S. This incident dramatically underscored public concerns regarding drivers' legality and safety.

The exact number of affected individuals in Pennsylvania remains undetermined. A recent audit referenced in correspondence from the Republican administration to Governor Josh Shapiro indicated that only two out of 150 drivers examined had licenses exceeding their lawful presence in the country.

The administration demands that Pennsylvania pauses the issuance and renewal of commercial driver’s licenses while conducting a review to identify licenses that may be in violation of federal laws. It also insists that the state void any noncompliant licenses.

The governors of California and Pennsylvania — Gavin Newsom and Josh Shapiro — are noted for their critical stance towards Trump. Shapiro's administration has asserted that the state’s transportation department ceased issuing commercial driver’s licenses to noncitizens following a related federal regulation published in September.

As a federal court recently placed the new federal rule under temporary suspension, the Pennsylvania transportation department has claimed that it does not issue commercial driver’s licenses to noncitizens without thorough verification of their immigration status through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security database. Shapiro has criticized the federal agency for not maintaining this crucial database efficiently, leading to confusion and potential errors in driver eligibility.

In a specific instance, a Pennsylvania-issued commercial driver’s license was traced back to an Uzbek national wanted for terrorism in his home country, highlighting the complexities involved and criticisms of both state and federal procedures.