One hundred ten commercial trucking schools are being shuttered following an emergency order from the Department of Transportation.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said that the schools were responsible for “5,000 of the violations for English proficiency.”
“You have to speak English to operate a commercial vehicle. I didn’t create that rule; President Trump didn’t create that rule. That rule has been in place for a decade,” Duffy said during a Detroit news conference on Monday.
“We have schools that know the rule, and still pass people through their school who can’t speak the language,” he added.
40% of inspected training programs for commercial truck drivers FAILED compliance:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 31, 2026
- One open semi-trailer used as a "classroom"
- One primary instructor wasn't even in the U.S.
- Trainers did not have CDLs themselves
- Trainees unmonitoredpic.twitter.com/HyuQ1jGIMt
“As of today, those schools are shut down,” he continued, noting that 160 schools were also shuttered for not being able to actually put hopeful truck drivers behind the wheel first, as well as “unlicensed instructors.”
“One school that we’re shutting down was so flippant […] their classroom was the school bus that was in the backyard. That was the classroom for which they were training new truck drivers,” he said.
The announcement stems from incidents involving illegal alien truck drivers getting arrested for deadly road incidents, as they were issued licenses at the state level.
Duffy's latest action is part of a new interagency agreement between DOT, the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department to crack down on the issue.
.@AFergusonFTC : "These schools are passing off these CDLs to people who haven't earned them; Putting forty ton weapons into the hands of people who are illegal immigrants — who can't speak English and then they hurt real Americans... that is why this fraud fight is important."… pic.twitter.com/Skn9Vuq71u
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 31, 2026
“These schools are passing off these CDLs to people who haven't earned them– putting forty-ton weapons into the hands of people who are illegal immigrants who can't speak English, and then they hurt real Americans,” Andrew Ferguson, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, said.
Editor's Note: Do you enjoy Townhall's conservative reporting exposing the radical left and woke media? Support our work so we can keep bringing you the truth.
Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the Conversation
VIP members get the ability to comment on articles.