The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, led by Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO), is set to consider “Dalilah’s Law” this week, a legislative package aimed at overhaulng Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) standards and banning undocumented immigrants from operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs).
Introduced by Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer (R-NC), H.R. 5688 seeks to address what lawmakers describe as a “safety crisis” on American highways caused by lax enforcement and insufficient training.
The legislation is named in honor of Dalilah Coleman, a five-year-old girl severely injured in an accident involving a semi-truck driven by an undocumented immigrant. Coleman was recently a guest of President Trump at the State of the Union address, where the President urged Congress to close loopholes in the CDL issuance process.
“Let me be clear – this is a safety issue,” Chairman Graves said in a statement. “If you can’t speak and read English, or if you’re not properly trained to drive a semi down our highways, you’ve got no business holding a CDL.”
Originally introduced in October 2025 as the Non-Domiciled CDL Integrity Act, the updated bill incorporates the Commercial Motor Vehicle English Proficiency Act. If passed, the law would:
- Enforce English Proficiency: Require all CDL holders to demonstrate the ability to read road signs and communicate with law enforcement in English.
- Mandate Legal Status Verification: Require states to verify legal residency before issuing licenses, barring undocumented immigrants from obtaining CDLs.
- Increase State Accountability: Penalize states that fail to comply with these federal standards by withholding federal transportation funds.
- Target Fraudulent Industry Practices: Crack down on “CDL mills” and ban foreign dispatch services or brokers linked to freight fraud and cargo theft.
- Out-of-Service Orders: Immediately remove drivers from the road if they fail to meet the law’s safety and training requirements.
The bill aligns with recent initiatives from the Trump Administration and Transportation Secretary Duffy to reverse previous border policies. Supporters argue the measure codifies essential safety protections into federal law.
“Unqualified, illegal foreign drivers behind the wheel of an 80-ton rig put the public in danger,” Chairman Rouzer stated. “President Trump called on Congress to end this systematic abuse, and Dalilah’s Law answers the call.”
The committee is expected to mark up the bill later this week before it moves to the House floor for a full vote.
