Sen. Jim Banks (R-Indiana) has introduced legislation that would mandate U.S. states remove all truck drivers who are in the United States illegally.

Introduction of what Banks called “The Dalilah Law” came a day after President Trump called for the legislation during the State of the Union speech. Trump highlighted the story of Dalilah Coleman, who was badly injured “when an 18-wheel tractor-trailer plowed into her stopped car traveling at 60 miles an hour or more.” Trump said the truck driver should not have been eligible for a CDL. 

The legislation would prohibit the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses to individuals who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. This has been one of the objectives of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s final rule on non-domiciled CDL holders, limiting them to H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 visa holders.

The bill also imposes a lifetime ban on operating a commercial vehicle for people who are not eligible at the time but still do so. In addition, all states would have to recertify CDL holders within 180 days, including English language proficiency. It would further mandate all CDL testing to be administered in English only, as DOT Secretary Duffy singled out last week. 

Separately, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who is facing a difficult primary challenge in his bid for reelection, said on social media he will be “introducing Dalilah’s Law . . . to help put an end to woke states like California lawlessly giving illegal aliens commercial driver’s licenses that allow them to endanger Americans.” 

Banks tells FMCSA to investigate chameleon carriers in Indiana

Banks this week also sent a letter to FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs, seeking an investigation into potential “chameleon carrier” trucking networks operating in his home state of Indiana.

Citing published articles from Fox News and the Daily Wire, Banks noted that “seven Hoosiers have been killed in six months by illegal alien truck drivers. This is a national crisis.”

Banks sent the letter to FMCSA after creating a website earlier in February to allow the public to report unlawful fleets. 

Banks said nearly 10,000 Indiana-based trucking companies have registered in the DOT database in the last six years, and over 2,000 carriers have been registered under the same two surnames.

He also said the Indianapolis suburb of Greenwood contains 1,000 newly-registered trucking carriers, and that there are over 300 carriers active in the University Park neighborhood, which has a population of about 600.