Indiana Governor announces crackdown on illegally-issued CDL holders and proposed $50,000 fine for carriers that employ them

Indiana Governor Mike Braun announced plans to revoke illegally-issued Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) and to penalize trucking companies that employ unqualified truck drivers.

On Monday, February 23, Braun issued a statement detailing plans to improve safety on Indiana roadways by removing unqualified truck drivers.

“Recent cases of illegal aliens driving commercial vehicles involved in fatal crashes has brought attention to this issue. In the last month alone, Indiana has experienced multiple fatal crashes caused by illegal immigrants with CDLs driving massive commercial trucks,” said Braun.

In partnership with Attorney General Todd Rokita and Representative Jim Pressel, Braun announced “a first of its kind amendment that will strengthen the process for CDL licensing and enable the state to remove CDLs from illegal immigrants. In addition, the amendment will create new penalties to crack down on non-licensed drivers and the companies that employee them.”

Pressel said that improperly licensed commercial drivers would face a $5,000 fine under the new legislation. Trucking company owners who employ an illegally-licensed truck driver would face $50,000 fine under the amendment. In addition, Pressel pointed to strengthened enforcement of English language proficiency requirements for CDL drivers.

Braun said that following a federal audit of Indiana’s non-domiciled CDL program, the state has already started the process of removing “hundreds” of illegally-licensed trucks drivers from the road.

Braun also pointed to an enforcement operation called Midway Blitz that took place last fall during which Indiana State Police arrested “223 illegal aliens on Indiana highways near the Illinois state line—including 146 truck drivers.”

“As the Crossroads of America, Indiana must do all we can to ensure our roads are safe,” said Gov. Braun. “In addition to strengthening our CDL licensing process, Indiana will revoke the CDLs of drivers who are illegal immigrants and penalize companies who employee them. Through strong enforcement we will keep our roads and highways safe.”

“We’ve seen horrible accidents on our roads—terrible tragedies that ended in fatalities—all caused by illegal aliens driving commercial vehicles they had no business operating,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Although the state already has the power to revoke a license for a public safety risk, we have worked directly with legislators and the governor on proposed statutory language to make license revocation mandatory in cases of illegal aliens, since the federal government has already determined these aliens pose serious public safety risks.”

“Keeping Hoosiers safe on our roadways is a top priority,” Rep. Pressel said.  “This amendment ensures everyone receiving a license to drive commercial trucks can read and understand our traffic signs and law enforcement safety instructions with proficiency, revokes CDLs issued without the proficiency proven and cracks down on drivers still operating without a valid CDL. Non-domiciled CDL drivers are the biggest threat to Indiana roads and with the new penalty of a level 6 felony and $5,000 fine for the non-licensed driver and $50,000 fine for the owner of the trucking company employing the non-licensed driver, we will be the first state to take action against dangerous and illegal drivers.”