Following recent crashes involving illegal immigrant truck drivers across the country, U.S. Reps. Erin Houchin (R-IN), Vince Fong (R-CA), and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced legislation this week that would prohibit undocumented immigrants from obtaining commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs).
The Dalilah Law, H.R. 7793, is named for Dalilah Coleman, a five-year-old girl from Bakersfield, Calif., who suffered catastrophic injuries when an undocumented immigrant driving an 18-wheel tractor-trailer caused a six-car pileup in June 2024. She spent weeks in a coma and now lives with permanent neurological damage requiring lifelong care.
Dalilah and her father were recognized at President Trump’s State of the Union address, during which he called for a federal ban on states issuing CDLs to individuals who lack legal status. This week, Rep. Fong introduced the Coleman family at a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing.
“Hoosiers are dying at the hands of illegal aliens, and Washington cannot ignore it any longer,” said Rep. Houchin, the bill sponsor. “Families should never fear who is behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound truck on our highways. The Dalilah Law ensures commercial driver’s licenses are limited to individuals who are lawfully present in the United States and able to meet the safety standards required to operate these massive vehicles.”
The bill would require states to limit commercial driver’s licenses to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and certain work visa holders as a condition of receiving federal Department of Transportation funding. It would also require states to revoke CDLs already issued to undocumented immigrants and mandate that CDL knowledge and skills tests be administered only in English.
The legislation builds on recent actions by the Department of Transportation, which over the past year has tightened CDL standards by requiring exams to be administered in English, shutting down unsafe commercial driving schools and pressuring states to comply with federal requirements.
“Our laws must meet the safety standards required to operate big rigs on our roadways,” Rep. Fong said. “We owe it to families like the Colemans to pursue commonsense reforms like the Delilah Law that protect Americans who travel our roads.”
Obernolte said public safety must always come first. “This legislation ensures that commercial driver’s licenses are issued only to United States citizens, lawful permanent residents, and those lawfully authorized to work here,” he said. “I am proud to support this bill to strengthen highway safety, restore accountability, and honor Dalilah and her family.”