Trucking companies caught hiring undocumented immigrants would face $50k fines to retrieve semi truck in new Florida bill

Trucking companies could face $50,000 fines to regain possession of their semi truck if they’re found hiring undocumented immigrants as truck drivers if a Florida bill passes. 

The proposal, SB 86, passed in the Florida Senate on Friday, March 6th. 

According to Tallahassee Reports, under the bill, law enforcement officers who determine a truck driver to be an undocumented immigrant will be directed to take the driver into custody and transfer them to federal immigration officials. The trucking company who hired the illegal immigrant will then be required to pay a $50,000 civil penalty to regain possession of their truck.

“The purpose of the bill is to remove imminent hazards from our highways and to discourage those who would use illegals to operate commercial vehicles in Florida,” said bill sponsor Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville.

Under this proposal, the truck would remain impounded until the $50,000 penalty is paid by the trucking company hiring undocumented immigrants, or bond is posted for the truck driver. The state highway safety department would also have the option to prohibit the carrier from operating commercial vehicles within the state of Florida.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has already stopped administering licensing exams in any language other than English as of this year. The state has also prohibited the highway safety department from issuing CDLs to anyone who is not a resident of Florida.