Illinois truckers back federal pause on non-domiciled CDLs, hope state
follows suit
[November 18, 2025]
By Catrina Baker | The Center Square contributor
(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.”
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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.
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