Illinois truckers back federal pause on non-domiciled CDLs, hope state follows suit

By Catrina Baker | The Center Square contributor
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois truckers are applauding a federal rule and hope the state enforces a pause on non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), saying it protects American jobs and restores trust in licensing.

In late-September, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ordered states to pause non-domiciled CDLs for drivers on temporary visas.

Illinois’ Secretary of State’s office, which oversees CDL licensing, did not respond to The Center Square’s requests for comment or confirm whether the pause is officially in effect. Media reports, based on emails obtained via the Freedom of Information Act, indicate the state has quietly stopped issuing these licenses.

For local truckers, enforcement of federal law is long overdue. Zach Meiborg, owner of Meiborg Brothers Trucking and Logistics, said the pause is a positive development but stressed that broader compliance is still critical.

“What’s needed right now is enforcement of the current laws and regulations to get rid of the people that aren’t following the laws and regulations,” Meiborg said. “About 50% of us follow the rules and 50% break every rule out there. Hiring a non-domiciled CDL holder in Illinois isn’t necessarily against state rules because the state has issued a legal license, but the state is breaking federal rules. That guy is supposed to be able to pass a CDL test written in English.”

Meiborg said the federal rule “helps stop the bleeding” but doesn’t address the deeper problems in the industry.

“This [federal rule] is going to help stop the bleeding, but it’s not going to heal the victim, which is the U.S. trucking economy,” he said. “We’re totally saturated with both legal and illegal operators. The bleeding has stopped, but the symptom, the capacity glut, is still there because of poor enforcement of laws already on the books.”

Meiborg, citing Overdrive reports, said Illinois issued an unusually large share of non-domiciled CDLs last year.

“In 2024, about 40% of CDLs issued in Illinois were non-domiciled,” he said. “That should throw up a red flag to anyone. Why are almost half the CDLs being issued going to non-domiciled drivers? Why are we bringing in that many people?”

He said the practice is part of a larger national issue seen in other states.

“The real problem is states, particularly blue states, issuing undocumented, non-domiciled CDLs,” Meiborg said.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the arrest of an illegal alien, Anmol Anmol, who was issued a New York commercial driver’s license under the name “No Name Given Anmol.” ICE agents discovered his status during a highway inspection in Oklahoma, where he was taken into custody and placed in removal proceedings.

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called the case “reckless and incredibly dangerous,” saying, “DHS is working with our state and local partners to get illegal alien truck drivers who often don’t know basic traffic laws off our highways.”

Meiborg said he hopes Illinois fully complies with the FMCSA’s order but added that the larger problem is weak enforcement. He said stopping the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs is a positive step, but lasting improvement will require both state and federal regulators to consistently enforce the laws already in place.