House Panel Advances Dalilah’s Law, Bans CDL For Illegal Aliens

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced Dalilah’s Law, a bill that would bar states from issuing commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, tighten testing rules, and push for revocation of any ineligible CDLs; the Department of Homeland Security backed the move and families affected by crashes urged action.

Congress moved a practical fix through committee: Dalilah’s Law would limit CDL issuance to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and holders of specific work visas, and require states to pull any existing licenses that are ineligible. The bill also demands that testing and recertification be conducted in English, and it threatens to withhold federal highway funds from noncompliant states. Republicans argue this is common sense safety policy, not politics, and say it closes an obvious loophole that puts Americans at risk.

The law was named after a young girl who was critically injured in a 2024 multi-car wreck in California when an illegal alien truck driver struck her. The driver, who had been issued a CDL by California’s DMV, was later arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Those facts drove the push for federal standards so one state cannot undercut the safety of others.

“I wanted you guys to see firsthand the consequences of even just one driver getting by because it’s devastating.”

The Department of Homeland Security publicly supported the legislation, applauding the committee’s approval and pressing for action to stop what they describe as needless tragedies. “I am so grateful that the House Republicans passed Dalilah’s Law out of [the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee] today,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem . “What happened to Dalilah Coleman is a tragedy that could have been PREVENTED if California had not granted commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens who should have never been here in the first place. Under President Trump’s leadership, we have worked to deliver justice for the families impacted by illegal alien crime and have ensured that the tragedies they endured will no longer continue.”

The DHS made the case that criminal and dangerous behavior tied to unvetted drivers is a national problem, not a local one, and that federal rules are needed to protect travelers and communities. Republicans in the committee framed Dalilah’s Law as a reasonable, targeted adjustment: protect highways, enforce standards, and hold states accountable. The bill’s penalty of withholding highway funds is meant to create a real incentive for compliance.

The family at the center of this fight has been outspoken. The DHS shared a video of Dalilah and her father, Marcus.

Marcus Coleman explained that he learned the truck driver was an illegal alien almost a year after the accident occurred. “As a truck driver myself, I think illegal aliens operating trucks on American roadways is a hazard to American citizens. … When you take the keys to the truck, you’re taking the keys to everybody else’s life that you’re encountering that day,” Coleman stated.

When people “see a truck, they assume that you know what you’re doing,” Coleman continued. “And I think now that’s not true anymore.” “Use my daughter as an example as to what the consequences are. … I wanted you guys to see firsthand the consequences of even just one driver getting by because it’s devastating,” he added.

Federal enforcement actions have already exposed the scale of the problem, with multiple operations resulting in scores of arrests of illegal alien truck drivers across several states. These raids turned up cases of drivers issued dubious or incomplete paperwork, and in some instances individuals wanted by foreign authorities. Republicans point to those operations as proof that stronger vetting and uniform licensing standards will make roads safer.

The committee vote moves the bill closer to a floor debate and forces a national conversation about who gets to operate heavy commercial vehicles in the United States. Supporters say Dalilah’s Law is a straightforward step: tighten the rules, protect families, and stop letting state-level decisions become a threat to everyone on the road.