The federal government has announced it will withhold $40.6 million in transportation funding from California, accusing the state of failing to enforce English proficiency requirements for commercial truck drivers.

The decision comes in the wake of a fatal crash in Florida involving a trucker who had been licensed in California and reportedly failed an English test.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, speaking on the announcement, asserted that California is “the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement”.

He framed the withholding as a safety measure directly tied to President Donald Trump’s April executive order mandating stricter enforcement of language standards for commercial drivers.

Duffy also flagged that California must begin testing drivers’ English skills during roadside inspections and immediately remove those who fail.

Unless the state adopts regulations to enforce these rules, further penalties may come, including broader cuts to federal highway funding—potentially up to $160 million in the first year.

In response, California officials defended their practices, emphasizing that commercial drivers licensed in the state have a fatal crash rate nearly 40 percent lower than the national average.

A spokesperson for Governor Gavin Newsom questioned the logic of the federal action, stating that the state’s licensing procedures already align in effect with federal safety requirements.

The case at the center of the dispute involves Harjinder Singh, an Indian national who was arrested in August after allegedly performing an improper U-turn in Florida, leading to a collision that killed three people.

Investigators say Singh failed an English proficiency test, yet he was nonetheless issued a commercial license in California in July 2024, allegedly under a valid work permit.

Federal and Florida officials have also criticized Washington state and New Mexico for licensing Singh.

In August, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the temporary suspension of all worker visas for commercial truck drivers, further tightening requirements for noncitizens in trucking.

The Trump administration has argued that previous guidance—under which inspectors could not place drivers out of service solely for lack of English—undermined safety.

California now faces a choice: comply with federal demands or risk the continued loss of vital transportation funds.

The standoff underscores a broader push by the Trump administration to tighten immigration and safety policy in the trucking sector.