Trump admin shuts down 270 driving schools in fraud crackdown
The administration shut down hundreds of driving schools for granting licenses to illegal immigrants
DOT shuts down 270-plus truck driver training schools
Federal officials shut down more than 270 non-compliant training schools in a crackdown on commercial driver’s license fraud.
President Donald Trump's administration announced a "historic" crackdown on trucking fraud during a news conference in Detroit on Monday.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the move alongside Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, saying tens of thousands of illegal drivers' licenses were issued during former President Joe Biden's administration.
Duffy noted that millions of illegal immigrants were allowed into the country under Biden and many were granted commercial drivers' licenses, with many of them not even able to speak English.
DUFFY TEASES 'UNPRECEDENTED FRAUD CRACKDOWN' ANNOUNCEMENT WITH DHS, DOJ
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks at Newark Liberty International Airport. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The administration is shutting down 110 driving schools that were the "greatest offenders" in granting drivers' licenses to illegal immigrants, as well as 160 additional schools that Duffy says lacked proper space for driving tests or had unlicensed instructors.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration chief Derek Barrs said each of the 110 "greatest offenders" passed at least 10 drivers who were "subsequently cited for English language proficiency during roadside inspections by law enforcement."
DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin spoke about the dangers of illegal immigrants with commercial drivers' licenses. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Barrs went on to cite multiple examples where drivers who were illegally granted licenses killed people in crashes while on the job.
"It's unacceptable. When you see people die on the road you don't forget that, and it starts right here with what I'm talking about," Barrs said.
"Our investigators went into 400 driver training schools and we found that 40% of these that we investigated did not meet the rules and the requirements of our regulations," he added.
A semi truck used by students to earn a commercial driver's license is parked at Truck America Training of Kentucky in Shepherdsville, Oct. 25, 2021. (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Mullin added that illegal immigrants with CDLs have been a major factor in immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, saying that Immigration and Customs Enforcement found over 100 individuals who had been granted CDLs, "and literally on the CDLs it said, ‘No name given.'"
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"These individuals are dangerous, and because of the failure from the previous administration, from the Biden administration, they've killed hundreds of people. And unfortunately, injured thousands," Mullin said.