Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) has introduced landmark legislation in the 119th Congress titled "The Dalilah Law" (S. ___), a bill that would prohibit states from issuing commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) to individuals who are not U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), or holders of certain qualifying work visas. If enacted, the law would fundamentally reshape CDL eligibility requirements nationwide and tie state compliance to federal Department of Transportation funding.
The bill was introduced following a direct call to action from President Trump during his State of the Union address, in which he urged Congress to pass the Dalilah Law to prevent illegal aliens from obtaining CDLs and operating commercial motor vehicles on U.S. roads.
"Too many people have been hurt. Too many have been killed. Americans are paying the price because illegal drivers are being handed commercial driver's licenses like candy and put behind the wheel of 80,000-pound trucks. That stops now. The Dalilah Law makes it clear: if you are here illegally, you do not get a CDL. We need to act and we need to act now." — Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.)
The Story Behind the Name
The legislation is named after Dalilah Coleman, a first-grader who was severely injured in a six-car pileup caused by an illegal alien operating a commercial semi-truck in California. The crash occurred on June 20, 2024, when Partap Singh — an Indian national who crossed the border in 2022 and was released into the country by the Biden administration — caused the multi-vehicle accident. California's Department of Motor Vehicles had issued Singh a commercial driver's license despite his immigration status.
According to Dalilah's father, the crash left her unable to walk, talk, or eat orally, and she was placed in a coma for three weeks. She required six months of hospitalization, underwent a craniectomy, and was without half of her skull for four months. She has since been diagnosed with diplegic cerebral palsy and global developmental delay, and will require lifelong therapy.
The bill's introduction followed several other high-profile fatal crashes involving illegal aliens operating commercial vehicles, including:
A 64-year-old man in Hendricks County, Indiana killed by an illegal alien from India driving a semi-truck who ran a red light.
Four Indiana men killed in Jay County after a Kyrgyzstani national — admitted through the CBP One app — swerved into oncoming traffic.
Indiana National Guardsman Terry Frye, killed in November 2025 after a Georgian national who was granted a CDL by New York State caused a crash. Officers at the scene discovered the driver could not speak English and required a translator.
A 54-year-old killed in Portage, Indiana in October 2025 after a Serbian national — in the country illegally since 2011 — caused a multi-car accident. That same driver owned two trucking companies that received over $36,000 in COVID-19 relief funding.
Key Provisions of the Dalilah Law
The bill would amend sections 31311 and 31310 of Title 49 of the United States Code and contains several major provisions that directly affect CDL issuance, driver qualification, and state compliance obligations.
1. CDL Eligibility Restrictions
Under the bill, states would be prohibited from issuing CDLs or any other commercial motor vehicle operating authorization to any individual who is not:
A U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident; or
A nonimmigrant visa holder described under subparagraph (E)(ii), (H)(ii)(a), or (H)(ii)(b) of Section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act — covering certain treaty trader/investor and H-2A/H-2B temporary agricultural and non-agricultural work visa holders — who possesses a valid, unexpired visa.
This restriction applies to standard CDLs as well as non-domiciled CDLs and any other state-issued authorization to operate a commercial motor vehicle.
2. Lifetime Disqualification for Violations
The bill would add a new disqualification provision to Section 31310 of Title 49, directing the Secretary of Transportation to permanently disqualify for life any individual who operates a commercial motor vehicle in the United States while not meeting the citizenship, LPR, or qualifying visa requirements. Limited exceptions apply for B-visa visitors and individuals holding valid travel authorizations under the Visa Waiver Program with valid admission records.
3. Mandatory Recertification Within 180 Days
States with existing CDL holders would be required to conduct recertification of all currently licensed commercial drivers within 180 days of enactment. That recertification process must verify that each driver:
Is a U.S. citizen, LPR, or qualifying work visa holder;
Is proficient in the English language as defined under 49 CFR § 391.11(b)(2); and
Has passed all required CDL knowledge and skills examinations in English.
Any individual who fails to recertify by the deadline, or who fails to meet these criteria upon recertification, must have their CDL revoked.
4. English-Only CDL Testing
The bill would prohibit states from administering any CDL knowledge or skills examination — or any other covered examination related to CDL issuance or renewal — in any language other than English. States that continue to offer CDL testing in other languages after enactment would face withholding of all federal DOT funding.
5. Federal Funding Withholding as Enforcement Mechanism
The legislation creates four separate funding withholding triggers. States risk losing all covered federal DOT funding if they:
Fail to complete the required recertification of existing CDL holders within 180 days;
Fail to revoke CDLs of individuals who do not meet the new eligibility requirements;
Issue new CDLs to ineligible individuals after enactment; or
Issue CDLs to individuals who are not English-proficient or administer CDL exams in languages other than English.
Current Legislative Status
As of this writing, the Dalilah Law has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Banks and referred to committee. The bill has received high-profile attention following President Trump's State of the Union address. Companion legislation or House action has not yet been publicly confirmed, but the bill's momentum — bolstered by presidential endorsement — makes it one of the most closely watched trucking-related regulatory proposals in recent years.
Senator Banks has also taken parallel action, including sending a letter to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator Derek Barrs requesting an immediate investigation into potential "chameleon carrier" trucking networks operating in Indiana, and launching a Truck Safety Tipline for industry workers to report carriers employing or contracting with drivers who are not legally authorized to operate in the U.S. or who cannot meet English-language safety standards.
Industry Impact: What Could Change for Fleets and Carriers
If enacted, the Dalilah Law would trigger significant compliance obligations for carriers, owner-operators, and state motor vehicle agencies. Here is what the trucking industry should anticipate:
Driver Qualification File Reviews
Fleet operators would need to thoroughly audit their driver qualification (DQ) files to confirm that every CDL holder on their roster meets the new eligibility requirements. This means verifying citizenship, LPR status, or valid qualifying work visa documentation for all drivers — not just new hires. Carriers that knowingly employ drivers who do not meet these standards could face significant liability exposure and up to $50,000 fines.
Recertification Compliance Pressure on States
The 180-day recertification window would place an enormous administrative burden on state DMVs and licensing agencies. Carriers in states that fail to meet this deadline could face operational disruption if drivers' CDLs are swept up in compliance failures or mass revocations.
Impact on Owner-Operator and Leased Driver Relationships
Carriers that lease owner-operators or use driver staffing arrangements should review contracts and onboarding processes now. If a leased operator's CDL is revoked under the new law, carriers could face sudden capacity shortfalls and potential liability under existing lease agreements.
English Proficiency Enforcement
The English proficiency requirements already exist under 49 CFR § 391.11(b)(2), but the Dalilah Law would create a harder enforcement framework around them, tying state CDL testing practices directly to federal funding. Carriers should revisit their own driver qualification procedures to ensure English proficiency verification is documented in DQ files.
Chameleon Carrier Scrutiny
Senator Banks' parallel request to FMCSA regarding chameleon carrier networks signals that enforcement attention is increasing in this area. Carriers should be aware that FMCSA may intensify auditing of carrier registration histories, driver pools, and operating authority applications — particularly in states and regions identified as higher-risk.
Industry Reaction
The bill has drawn support from those within the industry who have long raised concerns about CDL issuance practices and the enforcement of existing English proficiency regulations. Proponents argue that the current patchwork of state CDL standards creates dangerous gaps, particularly in sanctuary states that may issue CDLs without verifying immigration status.
Critics, however, raise concerns about the practical logistics of mass recertification, the potential for workforce disruption in an already driver-short industry, and the bill's impact on international commerce operations involving certain visa categories. The 180-day recertification window, in particular, has drawn scrutiny from those who question whether state licensing agencies have the infrastructure to process that volume of verifications in time.
The English-only testing provision is also likely to face legal challenges, given existing accessibility requirements and the multilingual composition of the current commercial driver workforce in many states.
What Carriers Should Do Now
While the Dalilah Law has not yet been enacted, the direction of federal policy is clear. Proactive carriers should take the following steps now:
Audit driver qualification files to confirm all CDL holders have documentation supporting lawful presence and work authorization in the U.S.
Review English proficiency documentation in existing DQ files and confirm your hiring process includes verification consistent with 49 CFR § 391.11(b)(2).
Update onboarding procedures to collect and retain copies of citizenship, LPR, or valid visa documentation for all new CDL driver hires.
Monitor legislative developments closely. If the bill advances, the 180-day recertification clock will begin at enactment — not at passage of committee — giving carriers limited time to react.
Consult with your compliance advisor about how your state's current CDL issuance practices may be affected and what exposure your fleet may carry.
Trucksafe will continue to monitor the Dalilah Law's progress through Congress and provide updated guidance as the bill advances. If you have questions about your fleet's driver qualification compliance or want to conduct a proactive DQ file audit, contact our team.
Sources: Senator Jim Banks Press Release, "Senator Banks Introduces the Dalilah Law to Get Illegal Truckers Off America's Roads"; The Dalilah Law (S. ___, 119th Congress, 2d Session), Bill Text PAT26142 P86.
