Supreme Court Declines Florida Lawsuit Over Out-of-State CDLs

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear Florida's lawsuit against California and Washington over the issuance of commercial driver's licenses to immigrants who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Florida filed the case directly with the court under its original jurisdiction after a fatal August 2025 crash on the Florida Turnpike.

The suit alleged that the two states violated federal standards requiring English proficiency and lawful immigration status.

The crash involved truck driver Harjinder Singh, an Indian national who entered the U.S. from Mexico. State and federal investigations found Singh could not read road signs or pass basic English tests. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier argued the states' policies created safety risks for drivers crossing state lines.

He asked the court to block California and Washington from issuing commercial licenses to individuals who fail federal requirements.

Thomas wrote that the court lacks discretion to refuse cases within its exclusive original jurisdiction over disputes between states.

“If this Court does not exercise jurisdiction over a controversy between two States, then the complaining State has no judicial forum in which to seek relief.”

Justice Samuel Alito joined the dissent.

and Washington California Attorney

General Rob Bonta told the court that the state's DMV verifies legal presence through a federal database and tests English proficiency. He said Singh received a non-domiciled license after meeting those requirements. Washington officials called the lawsuit a political stunt and stated Singh did not hold a valid Washington commercial license at the time of the crash.

They said Florida has licensed thousands of drivers without proper verification. The Department of Transportation has moved to withhold federal funding from states that issue such licenses, and President Trump signed an executive order in April 2025 reinforcing English-proficiency rules for commercial drivers.