Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy scoffed at an “asylum seeker” from India who whined that he can’t renew his commercial driver’s license because of new guidelines promulgated by the Trump administration, restricting access to American citizens and permanent residents.
Duffy was referencing Vivak Sharma — an immigrant from India seeking asylum in the United States — who lamented to KGO-TV in California that the DMV rejected a renewal application for his commercial driver’s license, pursuant to President Donald Trump’s directive.
What’s astonishing is that Sharma still cannot speak English, despite having lived in the U.S. for the past 10 years. For the past eight years, the “asylum seeker” has been working as a commercial truck driver.
Tellingly, Sharma said he was upset about not being able to drive his truck anymore because his job paid well, and now he can no longer send money back home to India.
Several key questions immediately come to mind when considering this case:
- Why can’t Sharma speak English after 10 years in the U.S.?
- Why is he seeking asylum from India, a rich country that is not war-torn?
- Why was is Sharma employed as a truck driver when he can’t read basic road signs?
On Tuesday, DOT Secretary Duffy said he cannot sympathize with Sharma because he apparently has no interest in assimilating to a country that gave him refuge for the past 10 years.
“Crocodile tears for a man who has spent a decade in our country but couldn’t be bothered to learn our language,” the DOT boss wrote on X.
“Our new rules will keep you and your family SAFE on America’s roads!”
Crocodile tears for a man who has spent a decade in our country but couldn’t be bothered to learn our language.
Our new rules will keep you and your family SAFE on America’s roads! https://t.co/alMR2VhmnA
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) October 14, 2025
A Department of Transportation X account summed up why being able to read and speak English is a must for truck drivers.
“This driver has been in the U.S. for TEN YEARS and does not know enough English to qualify for a trucking license,” USDOT Rapid Response wrote.
“This is exactly why @SecDuffy ordered @FMCSA [Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration] to crack down on English proficiency standards.”
“Do you want to drive on American roads? Being able to understand English is the BARE MINIMUM,” the DOT added.
This driver has been in the U.S. for TEN YEARS and does not know enough English to qualify for a trucking license.
This is exactly why @SecDuffy ordered @FMCSA to crack down on English proficiency standards.
Do you want to drive on American roads? Being able to understand… https://t.co/YJvxNGbrzh
— USDOT Rapid Response (@USDOTRapid) October 14, 2025
As a reminder, President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April, mandating the enforcement of an existing — but heretofore unenforced — federal law requiring truck drivers to be proficient in English.
The new order reversed a 2016 memorandum by former President Barack Obama’s administration, which abolished the language-proficiency requirement.
Do you support the job Sean Duffy is doing?
It’s illogical and patently absurd that an existing law requiring truckers to be able to read traffic signs in basic English has not been enforced.
How many Americans were killed as a result of this egregious negligence?
I was just reading about the unlicensed illegals getting hired to drive trucks around. Many are saying it’s a right wing conspiracy theory.
Here’s one newcomer who just killed an entire family outside Austin driving an Amazon truck while wasted: pic.twitter.com/jv7Fl5Z3ug
— Peachy Keenan (@KeenanPeachy) March 14, 2025
Meet Harjinder Singh
-Entered USA Illegally
-Claimed his life was under threat in India to avoid deportation
-Instagram Profile shows he is a Khalistani
-Can’t speak English or read road signs
-Kills 3 people while attempting an illegal u-Turn
-Trump Admin bans work Visas for… pic.twitter.com/uHHMeqv4d8— Sensei Kraken Zero (@YearOfTheKraken) August 25, 2025
The public is largely unaware that truckers have been demanding this language-proficiency requirement for some time.
In an April 11 X post, American Truckers noted that a DOT officer confirmed that “illegal alien truck drivers are driving commercial trucks and often cannot read and speak English.”
This insanity endangers both the truckers and everyone else on the roads driving alongside them.
Department of Transportation Enforcement Officer calls in to Breitbart Radio and confirms illegal alien truck drivers are driving commercial trucks and often cannot read and speak English. So concerned he wants to write his own letter to the White House! pic.twitter.com/ChXrJZETkD
— American Truckers 🚛🦅 (@atutruckers) April 12, 2025
As it is, there have been countless horrific car crashes caused by unlicensed illegal aliens who drove recklessly.
In many cases, these accidents resulted in the tragic deaths of innocent Americans.
Hopefully, the Trump administration will continue to crack down on illegal aliens (and so-called “asylum seekers”) who are driving huge rigs while being unable to read traffic signs.
This is an urgent matter of public safety that should have been addressed years ago.
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