Sacramento – A federal audit has thrust California Gov. Gavin Newsom into the crosshairs, uncovering that the state issued approximately 62,000 commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and permits to non-domiciled immigrants—many undocumented—prompting calls for an immediate investigation into potential violations of federal law. The revelation, detailed in a Department of Transportation report released October 24, 2025, accuses the Golden State of flouting requirements for permanent legal status, raising alarms about road safety and taxpayer-funded risks.
The audit, sparked by a deadly August Florida crash involving undocumented Indian trucker Harjinder Singh—who held a California CDL—found that licenses were granted without rigorous immigration checks, often extending years beyond expired work permits. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy decried it as “illegally issued” credentials to “dangerous foreign drivers,” projecting threats to semi-trucks and school buses nationwide. In response, California announced November 13 it would revoke 17,000 such licenses, citing state law inconsistencies, but Newsom’s office insists all recipients had valid federal work authorizations at issuance, dismissing the uproar as “political theater.”
Critics, including Trump administration officials, demand a full probe: Did Newsom’s sanctuary policies enable fraud, endangering lives? Singh’s case—illegal entry in 2018, followed by a CDL and fatal DUI—has galvanized conservatives, with Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart calling for congressional hearings. “This isn’t compassion; it’s criminal negligence,” he argued, echoing polls showing 68% of Californians favoring stricter licensing.
Newsom, eyeing a 2028 presidential run, counters that federal guidance under Biden allowed the permits to address trucking shortages, and revocations safeguard compliance without targeting status. Yet, as lawsuits loom and federal funding dangles—$160 million at risk—the scandal tests his progressive fortress. Should investigators dig deeper, exposing systemic lapses, or is this red-state retribution? In a state where immigrants haul 40% of goods, the road ahead twists toward accountability—or absolution.
