Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy issued a stern warning to California officials on Tuesday, disputing a claimed extension for the cancellation of commercial driver's licenses issued to foreign nationals. The California DMV had announced a 60-day delay for the termination of roughly 17,000 licenses, but Duffy made it clear that no such extension exists.
Duffy directly challenged California Governor Gavin Newsom over the attempt to push the deadline from January 5 to March 6. "[California Gov.] Gavin Newsom is lying," Duffy wrote on X. "The deadline to revoke illegally issued, unvetted foreign trucker licenses is still January 5."
The Secretary emphasized that the state’s refusal to comply puts Americans at risk on the roads and constitutes a violation of the law. He stated, "California does NOT have an 'extension' to keep breaking the law and putting Americans at risk on the roads."
The federal government is prepared to take financial action if the state misses the original deadline next week. Duffy warned, "Miss the deadline, Gavin, and the @USDOT will act — including cutting nearly $160 million in federal funding."
The California DMV justified its delay by arguing it needs more time to avoid wrongfully terminating licenses for drivers who might legally qualify. This follows a class-action lawsuit brought by various advocacy groups on behalf of drivers who claim they are being unfairly targeted.
The controversy began last month when the state notified over 17,000 license holders of an impending January 5 cancellation. The move was prompted by records showing mismatches between license expiration dates and the drivers’ legal work authorization or lawful presence documentation.