America’s highways have become a deadly lottery where every mile could be your last—not because of drunk drivers or texters, but because the person behind that 80,000-pound semi might not even be able to read the warning signs. That eighteen-wheeler in your rearview mirror? The driver might have failed their licensing exam ten times. They might not understand basic English commands from law enforcement. And thanks to a federal court’s ruling this week, they’ll keep rolling down our highways with the government’s blessing.
The nightmare scenario already played out in Fort Pierce, Florida, where three Americans lost their lives when Harjinder Singh made an illegal U-turn with his tractor-trailer. Singh, who entered the country illegally through Mexico in 2018, had failed his commercial driver’s license knowledge exam ten times in Washington state. Ten times. He also failed his air brakes exam twice and couldn’t pass an English proficiency test. Yet California handed him the keys to a deadly weapon on wheels, and three innocent people paid the ultimate price.
This isn’t an isolated incident. California’s audit revealed a staggering 17,000 commercial licenses that remained valid long after the holders’ work permits expired—17,000 potential disasters waiting to happen on America’s roads. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy moved swiftly to implement common-sense restrictions that would limit commercial licenses to specific visa holders and require immigration status verification. These weren’t draconian measures; they were basic safety protocols that any reasonable person would support.
Then came Thursday’s ruling. A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., decided that protecting American lives takes a backseat to bureaucratic procedure. The court blocked the Trump administration’s safety measures, claiming the government hadn’t followed proper administrative steps and failed to explain how the rules would promote safety. Failed to explain how requiring English proficiency and legal status promotes safety? The absurdity speaks for itself.
From ‘Fox News’:
The court found the federal government did not follow proper procedure when creating the new rule, or explain how the rule would promote safety. Judges also noted Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data shows about 5% of all commercial driver’s licenses belong to immigrants, though they only account for about 0.2% of fatal crashes.
Let me get this straight—that statistic deserves scrutiny. When someone who can’t read road signs or understand basic English commands causes a fatal crash, how often is their immigration status even recorded? How many crashes involving unlicensed or improperly licensed drivers get categorized differently? The court cherry-picked a meaningless number while ignoring the bodies piling up from preventable tragedies. I’d bet my last dollar those statistics are about as reliable as a screen door on a submarine.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, representing over 150,000 American truckers, supported these restrictions because they understand what’s at stake. I’ve heard from truckers who are terrified—not of competition, but of sharing highways with drivers who can’t communicate in emergencies. When a trooper pulls over a semi for a safety inspection and the driver can’t understand basic instructions, everyone on that highway becomes a potential victim. But hey, at least we followed proper procedure, right?
Here’s what kills me about this whole thing—the same judicial system that finds constitutional rights for illegal immigrants suddenly can’t comprehend why requiring English proficiency for commercial drivers might save lives. They demand extensive documentation for common-sense safety measures while requiring zero accountability from states like California that hand out licenses like candy at a parade. These judges probably have armed security and drivers, yet they’re perfectly fine with the rest of us playing Russian roulette on the interstate.
Secretary Duffy has already pulled $40 million in federal funding from California for refusing to enforce English requirements, but that’s pocket change compared to the human cost. How many more families need to plan funerals because a driver couldn’t read “No U-Turn” or understand “Pull Over”? How many more Harjinder Singhs are behind the wheel right now, barreling toward their next victim while some judge sits in their ivory tower pontificating about administrative procedures?
Look, I don’t care if you’re left, right, or somewhere in between—this isn’t about immigration policy or political ideology. It’s about whether we value American lives enough to demand basic competency from those operating commercial vehicles. When courts prioritize procedural nitpicking over public safety, when states treat commercial licenses as participation trophies rather than serious responsibilities, innocent people die. The Trump administration tried to stop the madness, but once again, activist judges decided that following bureaucratic breadcrumbs matters more than preventing the next preventable tragedy.
The question isn’t whether these restrictions will eventually be implemented—it’s how many Americans will die while we wait for the courts to stop playing games with our lives.
