Petition to the Honorable Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation

Subject: Revoke and Ban All Non-Domicile CDLs and Limit Foreign CDLs to Commercial Trade Zones Only

Dear Secretary Duffy,

On behalf of American Truckers United, we urgently petition the U.S. Department of Transportation to revoke and ban all non-domicile Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) issued to non-citizens and restrict foreign CDL holders to operating solely within designated commercial trade zones. The unchecked issuance of non-domicile CDLs to unvetted non-citizens and the misuse of foreign CDLs beyond commercial trade zones have triggered a public safety crisis, national security threats, economic devastation, and rampant freight fraud across America’s highways and trucking industry. Immediate action is critical to protect American lives, restore industry stability, and secure our nation’s infrastructure.

The Case for Immediate Action

The proliferation of non-domicile CDLs and the misuse of foreign CDLs beyond commercial trade zones have led to catastrophic consequences, as evidenced by the following:

• Public Safety Crisis: The 2016 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Memorandum (MC-ECE-2016-006) eliminated enforcement of English proficiency requirements under 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2), allowing drivers who are unable to read U.S. road signs or communicate with law enforcement to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). This policy has contributed to a surge in fatal truck crashes through 2022, as unvetted non-citizen drivers, often unfamiliar with U.S. traffic norms, endanger motorists. Foreign CDL holders, who should be restricted to commercial trade zones, are since operating nationwide, exacerbating these risks.
  • Conifer, CO Crash (June 11, 2024): A semi-truck driven by Ignacio Morales, a non-citizen, lost control on Highway 285 near Conifer, CO, rolling onto its side and dumping its load of pipes and angle iron onto five vehicles. The crash killed Scott Miller, 64, and injured three others. Morales, operating with a foreign CDL, should have been restricted to commercial trade zones, yet he was driving far beyond these limits, contributing to this preventable tragedy.
  • Lawrence County, AR Crash (May 13, 2024): A 2000 Freightliner driven by Dennis Garay Melara, 26, of Honduras lost control on State Highway 117, crossing the centerline and striking a 2002 Ford F-150 driven by Mark Bryant, 52, of Jonesboro. Bryant was killed, and Melara, who had been in the U.S. for only four days and held a foreign CDL, was injured. The company employing Melara attempted to submit a fake driver’s license, highlighting the lack of oversight for foreign CDL holders operating outside commercial trade zones. 
  • Austin, TX Crash (March 13, 2025): A 17-vehicle pileup on I-35, caused by truck driver Solomun Weldekeal Araya, killed five, including an infant and an older child, and injured 11 others. Araya faces intoxication manslaughter charges, highlighting the dangers of inadequate driver vetting.
  • Thomasville, AL Crash (May 6, 2025): A semi-truck driven by Andrii Dmyterko, a non-citizen on a work visa, struck vehicles on Highway 43, killing Woodie Earl Beck III and Ashley Marie Springer McDonald and injuring four. Dmyterko, distracted by his phone, faces vehicular homicide charges, underscoring the risks of unvetted drivers.
  • Florida Crash (May 3, 2025): Two highway surveyors died on I-95 in Brevard County when Hassan Abdirahman Sheikh Ali, a truck driver, fled the scene after a hit-and-run. Ali, arrested in Palm Beach County and requiring an interpreter, raises concerns about English proficiency compliance.

These tragedies and many others discovered by our team, demonstrate the deadly consequences of allowing unvetted non-citizen drivers and foreign CDL holders to operate CMVs nationwide without rigorous oversight or language skills, far beyond the commercial trade zones where their operations should be confined.

• National Security Threats: Non-domicile CDLs issued to non-citizens with minimal or fraudulent identification create vulnerabilities ripe for exploitation. FMCSA data shows massive CDL issuance spikes in states like Minnesota, many to non-citizens with unverifiable identities, including licenses marked “NO GIVEN NAME” or with fabricated birth dates. Alarmingly, one non-domicile CDL was issued to an individual on India’s most wanted list, illustrating the potential for dangerous actors to operate CMVs undetected. Allowing foreign CDL holders to operate beyond commercial trade zones exacerbates these risks, threatening critical infrastructure and public safety. 
• Economic Devastation: The Biden-Harris Administration’s Trucking Action Plan, issuing over 876,000 Additional CDLs in 2021 alone, flooded the industry with non-citizen drivers paid third-world wages by foreign-based operations. This labor dumping, coupled with the misuse of B-1/B-2 visas and foreign CDLs, triggered a prolonged industry recession, with suppressed freight rates and record bankruptcies since 2023. Traditional American trucking companies, unable to compete, are collapsing daily, threatening American truckers’ livelihoods and the supply chain’s stability. 
• Freight Fraud Surge: The influx of unvetted non-citizen drivers and foreign CDL holders operating nationwide has fueled a dramatic rise in freight fraud, costing the industry hundreds of millions annually. Schemes like double-brokering and load phishing exploit drivers with limited English proficiency and regulatory knowledge, who often become unwitting accomplices to fraud networks. This fraud drains resources from legitimate carriers, exacerbating the industry’s economic crisis. The suspects in these cases are predominately non -citizen actors.

Requested Actions

To address these urgent threats, American Truckers United respectfully requests that you:

• Revoke and Ban Non-Domicile CDLs for Non-Citizens: Immediately revoke all non-domicile CDLs issued to non-citizens and institute a permanent ban on their issuance to eliminate safety risks, secure highways, and protect the American trucking industry.
• Restrict Foreign CDLs to Commercial Trade Zones: Limit foreign CDL holders to operating solely within designated commercial trade zones near U.S. borders, prohibiting domestic hauling beyond these zones to prevent labor dumping and reduce safety and security risks.
• Implement Long-Term Safeguards: Enforce policies requiring U.S.-issued identification and rigorous national security screenings, including background checks for criminal history and terrorist affiliations, for all CMV operators. Vehicles operated by individuals violating these safeguards should be impounded, with stiff financial penalties imposed on carriers and drivers to deter abuse, ensuring compliance and protecting the integrity of the trucking industry.
• Every week should be US DOT Blitz week 

Conclusion

The issuance of non-domicile CDLs to non-citizens and the unrestricted use of foreign CDLs beyond commercial trade zones have created a crisis of public safety, national security, economic collapse, and freight fraud. The tragic crashes in Conifer, Lawrence County, Austin, Thomasville, and Florida underscore the human toll of these failed policies. American Truckers United is committed to supporting your efforts to restore safety, security, and fairness to the trucking industry. We urge you to act swiftly to revoke and ban non-domicile CDLs for non-citizens and limit foreign CDLs to commercial trade zones, protecting American lives, livelihoods, and highways.

Sincerely,

American Truckers United