Attorney General James Uthmeier Requests US DOT to Revoke CDL Programs & Funding from California and Washington; Supports Agricultural and State Law Enforcement Inspection Stations to Combat Illegal Aliens Entering Florida
Courtesy of the Office of Attorney General James Uthmeier
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that he is sending a formal letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration urging the federal government to revoke commercial driver’s license (CDL) program authority and strip related federal funding from California and Washington following the deadly crash on August 12th, 2025, that claimed three lives.
“States like California and Washington ignored the rules, gave an illegal alien a license to drive a 40-ton truck, and three people are dead as a result. A preventable tragedy due to sanctuary state policies,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “In response, we’re supporting our Agricultural Law Enforcement and state police to ramp up inspections at state entry-points for illegal aliens who may be operating large trucks using out-of-state driver’s licenses. If you’re here illegally or can’t speak English, you have no business operating large commercial vehicles on Florida’s roads. We commend Commissioner Simpson and his department’s 287(g) certified law enforcement officers for turning Florida’s interdiction stations into strongholds of immigration enforcement. Together, we will ensure dangerous drivers are taken off the road and criminals serve their time before deportation.”
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Commissioner Wilton Simpson made the announcement alongside Attorney General Uthmeier at an agricultural interdiction station along Interstate 10 in Live Oak. All FDACS sworn law enforcement officers were certified in July, and they are stationing at interdiction checkpoints to work together with federal and state partners on immigration enforcement and checking for English proficiency for commercial drivers while continuing agricultural inspections. These interdiction stations, which are distinct from FDOT weigh stations, will serve as critical enforcement points to stop human smuggling, fraudulent documents, and unsafe commercial vehicles.
“The crash on the Florida Turnpike tragically took the lives of three Floridians and was a completely preventable consequence of illegal immigration and sanctuary-state policies. It is also a reminder of why the work of our law enforcement community to combat illegal immigration is so critical,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “With 23 inspection stations on Florida roadways and 100 percent of our officers being certified in the 287(g) Program, Agricultural Law Enforcement officers are uniquely skilled and positioned to help prevent another tragedy and be a force multiplier in the fight against illegal immigration and criminal activity.”
“By leveraging our agricultural inspection stations and 287(g) certified officers, we are working hand in hand with state and federal partners to identify dangerous drivers, enforce immigration laws, and combat criminal activity,” said FDACS Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement Colonel Rick “Lee” Adams Jr. “I want to thank Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Attorney General James Uthmeier for their unwavering leadership in standing up for law and order and ensuring that Florida remains a national leader in immigration enforcement.”
“By targeting criminal illegal aliens who undermine the safety and integrity of U.S. immigration laws, the 287(g) program strengthens homeland security,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations Acting Executive Associate Director Garrett Ripa. “We appreciate the Attorney General’s support and welcome our newest 287(g) partnership with FDACS as we continue to reinforce the rule of law in Florida.”
“The Miami Sector Border Patrol is committed to working with our partners to ensure our enforcement efforts provide the safety and security the State of Florida and the American people deserve,” said U.S. Customs and Border Protection Deputy Chief/U.S. Border Patrol Miami Samuel Briggs II.
The Attorney General’s letter to the federal government cites alarming findings released by the U.S. Department of Transportation. During questioning, the driver involved in the deadly semi crash failed an English proficiency test—answering only two of twelve verbal questions correctly and identifying just one of four traffic signs. Despite this, Washington issued the driver a full-term CDL in 2023 and California issued another in 2024.
Attorney General Uthmeier’s office is pursuing every legal option to ensure the driver responsible for the crash serves a lengthy sentence in prison before any deportation proceedings. At the same time, Florida is strengthening its frontline defenses with FDACS’s newly certified officers, reinforcing the state’s interdiction stations as a critical tool in immigration enforcement.
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