Homeland Security Secretary Noem Defends Stricter Rules for Foreign Truck Drivers Citing Public Safety Concerns

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has strongly criticized non-American truck drivers, claiming that "foreigners" driving tractor-trailers are "extremely dangerous" and endanger American citizens on the roads. She defended the Trump administration's new restrictions on commercial driver's licenses for non-citizens, which require stricter eligibility rules including federal immigration status checks, and supported crackdowns such as "Operation Midway Blitz," which led to the arrest of numerous immigrant truck drivers. Noem argued that driving large trucks requires specific skills and communication, which she believes immigrants lack, and accused sanctuary states like California, New York, and Illinois of illegally issuing licenses to non-citizens. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has threatened to withhold federal funds from California over this issue. Noem's stance fits within a broader Trump administration effort to limit immigrant work visas and commercial driving licenses, citing public safety concerns linked to immigrant drivers. However, Noem's own history of traffic violations has raised questions about the credibility of her public safety warnings.