Washington, Feb 26 (NationPress) A US senator has put forth a bill in Congress aimed at preventing states from granting commercial driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. This legislation links federal transportation funding to the states' adherence and highlights a series of tragic accidents involving large trucks.

Republican Senator Jim Banks stated that his proposed legislation, referred to as the “Dalilah Law,” would impose requirements on states to eliminate “illegal alien truck drivers” from American highways as a prerequisite for receiving funds from the Department of Transportation.

Just a day prior, during the State of the Union address, President Donald Trump urged legislators to enact the “Dalilah Law,” which would prohibit any state from issuing commercial driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.

Senator Banks emphasized that this initiative is a response to the rising number of fatalities. He stated, “Too many lives have been lost. Americans are suffering because illegal drivers are being granted commercial driver’s licenses too easily and allowed to operate 80,000-pound trucks. That ends now. The Dalilah Law makes it unequivocal: if you are here illegally, you will not obtain a CDL. We must take action, and we must do so immediately.”

The proposed bill mandates that states restrict trucking licenses to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and certain work visa holders. Furthermore, states would be obligated to revoke licenses issued to “illegal aliens and those with temporary status, regardless of whether they possess work authorization.”

The legislation also requires that CDL knowledge and skills tests be conducted solely in English.

Earlier this week, Senator Banks reached out to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek D. Barrs, urging an immediate inquiry into potential “chameleon carrier” trucking networks operating in Indiana.

In his February 23 letter, he cited the death of Terry Schultz, who “was killed after being hit by a semitruck operated by an Indian national who allegedly crossed the southern border unlawfully and was issued trucking licenses by New York and Indiana.”

“Seven Hoosiers have lost their lives in just six months due to illegal alien truck drivers. This is a national emergency,” Banks remarked.

This legislation bears the name of Dalilah Coleman, a first-grader who suffered severe injuries in a six-car accident caused by “an illegal alien driving a semitruck with a CDL.” According to a press release, the driver “crossed the border in 2022 and was allowed entry into the country by the Biden administration.”

The statement also referenced a June 20, 2024 accident in California involving “Partap Singh -- an undocumented individual from India,” who was granted a commercial driver’s license by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

Additional incidents mentioned include a deadly crash in Indiana involving an Indian national, a Georgian national who received a CDL from New York, and a driver from Serbia and Montenegro who had operated two trucking companies while being in the United States illegally since 2011.

While individual states issue commercial driver’s licenses, federal regulations govern interstate trucking. The topics of immigration status and eligibility for licenses remain contentious political issues in the United States.