Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said his state is suing California and Washington state over their policy of allegedly ignoring federal rules regarding the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs).
The new lawsuit comes weeks after the federal government unveiled stricter criteria for the issuance of CDLs.
The Constitution gives the Supreme Court original jurisdiction, or authority, to try disputes between the states as a court of first impression. In such cases, the court often appoints a judicial officer called a special master to hear the case and issue a recommendation to the justices on how to rule.
Florida’s acting solicitor general, Jeffrey DeSousa, said in the document, “Both States routinely frustrate and hinder federal law enforcement from addressing the immigration crisis and the destruction that accompanies it.”
Federal law provides that states issuing CDLs adhere to safety and immigration status standards, but California and Washington “ignore these standards and authorize illegal immigrants without proper training or the ability to read road signs to drive commercial motor vehicles,” the document states.
The two states are endangering citizens in their own states and other states that obey federal law and adhere to CDL safety standards, according to the complaint.
