The Supreme Court declined to hear Florida’s lawsuit against California and Washington over policies that allow commercial driver’s licenses to be issued to individuals living in the United States illegally.
The decision leaves the states’ licensing systems in place and blocks Florida’s attempt to bring the dispute directly before the nation’s highest court.
Florida argued that California and Washington’s licensing policies create public safety risks beyond their own borders because commercial truck drivers operate across state lines.
The case followed a deadly Florida highway crash that killed three people after a tractor-trailer driver allegedly attempted an illegal U-turn.
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The driver, Harjinder Singh, is facing criminal charges and has pleaded not guilty.
Authorities said Singh previously held commercial driver’s licenses issued by both Washington and California.
Florida claimed the case raised national concerns about whether states are complying with federal commercial driver standards, including rules involving legal status and English proficiency.
California and Washington rejected Florida’s claims and argued the lawsuit was politically motivated.
They said commercial driver licensing enforcement should be handled by federal transportation regulators, not through one state suing another at the Supreme Court.
The Court’s majority did not explain why it declined to hear the case.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented, saying Florida should have been allowed to file its complaint.
Thomas warned that Florida had no other legal forum to bring its claims and criticized the Court for refusing to even hear the dispute.
He also argued that federal law sets important standards for commercial drivers and warned that failing to enforce those rules could create danger on American highways.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said the case was about stopping states from adopting licensing policies that affect residents outside their borders.
Supporters of Florida’s lawsuit argue that commercial trucking is a national safety issue and that states should not be allowed to issue licenses in ways that could undermine federal standards.
Critics argue that Florida’s lawsuit was an attempt to turn a complex transportation and immigration policy issue into a political battle between states.
The ruling comes as federal transportation officials are already tightening scrutiny of non-citizen commercial driver licenses after several fatal truck crashes drew national attention.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has also pushed stricter eligibility rules and warned states that federal funding could be tied to compliance with updated standards.
The Supreme Court’s refusal to take the case does not settle the broader debate, but it leaves the issue in the hands of federal regulators and state licensing agencies for now.
Why It Matters
The case sits at the intersection of immigration, road safety and state authority. Florida wanted the Supreme Court to intervene directly, but the Court’s refusal means disputes over commercial driver licensing will likely continue through federal agencies and political pressure rather than state-versus-state litigation.
What Comes Next
Federal transportation officials may continue tightening CDL rules for non-citizens. Florida and other Republican-led states are also likely to keep pressing the issue through legislation, enforcement actions and pressure on federal regulators.
Justice Clarence Thomas criticized the Supreme Court for refusing to hear Florida’s lawsuit over commercial driver licenses issued by California and Washington.
Justice Thomas blasts the Supreme Court for refusing to hear Florida’s lawsuit against California and Washington over licensing undocumented commercial drivers — after a deadly highway crash involving a trucker who ‘could not read the road signs.’
Thomas, joined by Alito, argued… pic.twitter.com/aHhi1zAu8b
— Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics) May 26, 2026
