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Illegal trucker cases fuel GOP push to crack down on CDL mills as Dems largely silent
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Republicans in Pennsylvania are pressuring Democrats to act on a legislative crackdown targeting illegal immigrant truckers on America’s highways.
Several foreign nationals involved in dangerous incidents around the country were found to be holding commercial driver’s licenses from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, leading to tensions between Harrisburg and Homeland Security. Republicans have called on state Democrats to address the issue, arguing such discrepancies do not appear to occur at the same level in other states.
Democrats, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, previously alleged DHS failed to properly maintain its «alien verification» (SAVE) database, which PennDOT said it uses to verify an applicant’s «lawful presence,» while a top Republican recently demanded answers from PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll after illegal immigrants with CDLs were apprehended as far away as Oklahoma.
On Wednesday, Shapiro’s camp did not dismiss Republican-led bills aimed at addressing the issue, including efforts to shut down so-called «CDL mills,» which allegedly produce unqualified truckers and generate significant profits. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Biden administration adjusted rules to allow trucking schools to self-certify, creating a dynamic he compared to the Minnesota-Somali social-services fraud scandal and called «total bull—» at a recent conference.
LAWMAKERS WARNED PENNDOT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT-CDL CRISIS BEFORE BUST; GOP DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM SHAPIRO
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, left; a long-term work zone on US-22/Interstate 78 near Krumsville, Pennsylvania, largely spurred by an increase in truck traffic. (Valerie Plesch/Getty Images; Ben Hasty/The Reading Eagle via Getty Images)
«Highway safety is a cornerstone of our mission at PennDOT and the Shapiro administration remains unwavering in our work to make sure Pennsylvania’s roads are safe,» Shapiro spokeswoman Rosie Lapowsky said when presented with the bills newly passed out of Senate committee and considered favorable to the GOP-majority upper chamber.
Harrisburg has faced divided government for some time, as the House is 102-99 Democratic, with two Republican-favored seats vacant that would normally create a one-seat margin, while the Senate holds a 27-23 GOP majority.
Lapowsky pointed to the SAVE database and said PennDOT continues to issue CDLs to drivers verified by that and otherwise in accordance with applicable state and federal law.
ICE ARRESTS 13 AFTER TIP ON TRUCK DRIVERS AT PENNSYLVANIA DMV SPARKS CHAOTIC SCENE
Bekzhan Beishekeev, a 30-year-old national of Kyrgyzstan, is allegedly involved in a crash that left four dead in Indiana. (Fox News/DHS)
«The fact remains that every person who applies for a non-domiciled commercial driver’s license issued by PennDOT must provide proof of identity and proof of their lawful presence in the United States,» she said.
«We will monitor the bills as they go through the legislative process.»
However, Shapiro’s allies in the State House were mum on the subject.
When reached for comment, a representative for House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Southwest Philadelphia, said the lawmaker was unavailable due to a floor session and could not review Fox News Digital’s inquiry by next week.
House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, D-Schwenksville, House Majority Whip Mike Schlossberg, D-Allentown, and House Transportation Committee Chairman Ed Neilson, R-Northeast Philadelphia, did not respond by publication time.
While the top Republican on the Senate Transportation Committee that approved the bills — Sen. Judy Ward of Hollidaysburg — could not immediately be reached, other Republicans touted the plans as «commonsense reforms» needed to secure America’s highways.
DEM GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFULS RIPPED FOR PLAYING ‘GARBAGE’ RACE CARD OVER CRACKDOWN ON TRUCKERS’ ENGLISH
«Cracking down on CDL mills and requiring English language proficiency for truck drivers are easy ways for Pennsylvania to make the roads a little safer,» Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee chairman Jarrett Coleman, R-Allentown, told Fox News Digital.
Coleman previously led the charge against illegal immigrant truckers receiving CDLs in Pennsylvania after an Uzbek national residing in Philadelphia was nabbed in Kansas earlier this year.
In that case, Ahkror Bozorov was also found to be wanted back home in Tashkent on suspicion of ties to terrorist groups, according to DHS.
Coleman also highlighted a Senate fact-finding hearing involving Carroll and several trucking interests following another incident in which a Kyrgyz national with a PennDOT CDL caused a crash that killed a person in Indiana.
«I can’t imagine how anyone could be opposed to these types of changes, and quite frankly they’re overdue,» said Coleman, a former commercial pilot and ex-member of the Parkland School Board.
The first of the bills, SB 1294, seeks to crack down on so-called CDL mills that produce undertrained truck driver candidates who pay for their services.
DOT CRACKDOWN PULLS HUNDREDS OF ENGLISH-ILLITERATE, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKERS OFF ROADS AS CRASHES MOUNT
Ward, whose family owns the regionally prominent Ward Trucking firm out of Altoona, was listed as the lead sponsor of all three pieces of the package, accompanied by several colleagues as co-sponsors, including Sens. Camera Bartolotta, R-Washington, Wayne Langerholc, R-Johnstown, and Lisa Baker, R-Dallas.
The first piece officially creates a CDL school licensing board and enforces $25,000 penalties on people who provide entry-level driver training without being certified.
The second bill in the package would require English to be the primary language spoken or understood in testing applications in order to operate commercial vehicles in excess of 40 tons on Pennsylvania highways.
The third bill, SB 1296, establishes new penalties for out-of-service violations issued to unsafe CDL drivers, including operating a heavy commercial vehicle on public highways without English comprehension.
A Pennsylvania Democratic source familiar with the topic also pointed Fox News Digital to a recent hearing before Ward’s committee, where Deputy Secretary of Education Lynnette Kuhn testified about commercial vehicle safety policies under the Shapiro administration.
Kuhn pointed out that the federal government lists 1,273 Pennsylvania-based CDL training firms, but only 40 are registered with Harrisburg.
«Registration is a self-certifying process, and an applicant only needs to check a box attesting that they have met all applicable state requirements,» Kuhn said. «Additionally, FMCSA (a USDOT sub-agency focused on trucking) registration does not require a physical or mailing address, phone number, email address, website, business information, or an individual’s personal information, making it extremely difficult to locate a provider based on the registry.»
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«As a result, unlicensed training providers can appear legitimate to consumers, employers, and state regulatory agencies.»
With the package likely to be approved by the full Senate soon, the fight will shift to McClinton’s chamber, where just a few Democratic defections on a nationally spotlighted issue could seal the deal.
pennsylvania, politics, immigration, illegal immigrants, democrats elections
INTERNACIONAL
Hegseth steps in to ‘fix’ situation after Apache pilots suspended for ‘Salute from the Shores’ flyover
Military flyover, Parade of Sail mark America’s 250th birthday in New York City
New York City hosts a spectacular military flyover and parade of tall ships up the Hudson River for America’s 250th birthday. The event features a reenlistment ceremony on the USS Nimitz, which is preparing for retirement after 51 years of service. Various military aircraft, including Black Hawks and A-4 Skyhawks, perform precision flyovers, showcasing the nation’s military might and celebrating its rich history.
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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stepped in quickly after reports that the pilots of eight Apache helicopters were suspended following a low-altitude flyover during South Carolina’s «Salute from the Shores» event celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.
Video of the Apache helicopters conducting a low-altitude flyover as beachgoers cheered and waved flags quickly went viral. However, Fox affiliate Fox Carolina reported Thursday that after the pilots landed, they were informed they had been suspended pending an investigation.
Their suspension did not last long. Shortly after news broke of the suspension, Hegseth posted on X, «We’ll fix this. Carry on, Patriots.»
Early the next morning, Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesman and senior advisor to Hegseth, announced that «effective immediately, the suspension of all involved South Carolina pilots has been lifted.» Echoing Hegseth, he added, «Carry on Patriots.»
HEGSETH SAYS PENTAGON WILL REVIEW MARK KELLY’S PUBLIC STATEMENTS ABOUT CLASSIFIED BRIEFING AMID ONGOING FEUD
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth quickly stepped in to «fix» the situation after it was reported that eight National Guard pilots had been suspended following their participation in a low-level flyover at a South Carolina «Salute from the Shore» event on July 4th. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images; ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
Fox Carolina reported on Thursday that South Carolina National Guard spokesperson Maj. Lisa Alle clarified the suspension was intended to be temporary and that the pilots remained in good standing with the military.
Alle emphasized to the outlet, «We want to assure the community that a temporary suspension from flight duties is a routine administrative measure whenever a flight profile is under review. This is not punitive.»
While suspended, the pilots were continuing to work and getting paid.
Despite this, the pilots’ suspension outraged many online who expressed anger that they would be under review for participating in a patriotic event.
FIRST ON FOX: BEHIND THE SCENES OF ARLINGTON’S MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE FOR AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY
A flight of U.S. Army helicopters flies past the Washington Monument and over the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Andrew Leyden/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Conservative influencer Matt Van Swol posted on X, «WHAT ON EARTH??!!!! The National Guard has just SUSPENDED all 8 pilots of the Apache helicopters that flew on the ‘Salute to the Shore’ flyover across the South Carolina coast. No reason has been given for their suspension. A source says as soon as the pilots landed, they got a message saying they were suspended pending an investigation.»
Another popular influencer who goes by the username Jammles9 reacted, «Are you kidding me?? This was incredible!!»
Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., wrote, «Leave it to a beach Karen to make a frivolous complaint about the most EPIC flyover ever on Independence Day. Newsflash— we LOVED the flyovers!!!»
The congressman added, «These heroes deserve to be CELEBRATED, not chastised. We stand with each of the Apache pilots!»
‘THE VIEW’ CO-HOST SUNNY HOSTIN LAMENTS ‘I SUDDENLY FEEL UNSAFE’ IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH AMERICAN FLAGS
Attendees watch the Independence Day fireworks display along the National Mall in Washington, D.C. (Probal Rashid/LightRocket via Getty Images)
In a statement shared with Fox News Digital Friday morning, the South Carolina National Guard confirmed the state adjutant general had lifted the administrative suspension of the eight pilots.
The statement referred to the pilots as «.experienced aviators» and noted that returning them to flight status «ensures that the South Carolina National Guard maintains its peak operational readiness and remains fully postured to support both state and federal missions.»
«The South Carolina National Guard’s 59th Aviation Troop Command is an exceptional helicopter unit, renowned throughout the Army and the National Guard for its unwavering commitment to excellence and Soldier safety,» the statement read. «As is the hallmark of any professional organization, the 59th Aviation Troop Command continuously self-examines and critically evaluates its training and operations to ensure that the highest levels of professionalism and safety are maintained.
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«The subject events of July 4th are no exception, as our pilots remain deeply committed to excellence and the highest standards of safety,» the South Carolina National Guard continued, adding, «The South Carolina National Guard appreciates the outpouring of concern and support from our community and state leaders. Go Guard!»
Praise poured in for Hegseth after the decision, with Mike Davis, a former Capitol Hill staffer, posting, «This is why I love Pete.»
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Swol commented, «Really appreciate @PeteHegseth lifting this suspension. My wife and I were on that beach and we watched the flyover with my son… it was absolutely epic. This right here is why I love Pete Hegseth. Thank you @SecWar.»
pete hegseth, national guard, south carolina, military, defense, military tech, america 250
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Descubrieron en Uruguay un dinosaurio gigante de 83 millones de años y lo llamaron “el protector”
Dos huesos de la cola hallados en el norte de Uruguay bastaron para cambiar lo que se sabía sobre los dinosaurios que habitaron allí. Esos huesos pertenecen a una especie que nadie conocía.
Se llama Mesetasaurus protector y es un titanosaurio, un subgrupo de los saurópodos, los dinosaurios de cuello largo más grandes que existieron, que vivió en el Cretácico Tardío, hace 83 millones de años.
“Con su nombre quisimos rendir un homenaje a José Artigas, el prócer uruguayo conocido como “Protector de los Pueblos Libres”, cuya capital estuvo a pocos kilómetros del lugar donde aparecieron los fósiles», contó a Infobae el doctor en biología Daniel Perea, profesor de paleontología de vertebrados en la Facultad de Ciencias de la Universidad de la República de Uruguay y uno de los científicos que hizo el análisis de los restos fósiles.
Trabajó con Matías Soto Núñez y Felipe Montenegro, que también forman parte del Instituto de Ciencias Geológicas de la Facultad de Ciencias. La investigación se publicó en la revista Ameghiniana, de la Asociación Paleontológica Argentina.
Aunque los titanosaurios fueron el grupo de dinosaurios más abundante y diverso del Cretácico Tardío en América del Sur, Uruguay tenía muy pocos registros propios. El conocimiento sobre estos animales estuvo durante décadas sesgado hacia las formas patagónicas, y países como Uruguay quedaban fuera de ese mapa prehistórico.
A ese vacío se sumaba una pregunta sin respuesta: nadie sabía con certeza qué tan antigua era la Formación Guichón, la capa de roca del noroeste uruguayo donde aparecen estos fósiles.
Estudios anteriores ubicaban a esa formación en períodos mucho más viejos, lo que generaba confusión sobre la fauna que realmente habitó esa región.
Hasta este trabajo, además, solo se conocía una especie de dinosaurio saurópodo en Uruguay: el Udelartitan celeste, un titanosaurio de una rama familiar distinta.
El objetivo de la nueva investigación fue describir dos vértebras caudales —huesos de la cola— halladas en la Meseta de Artigas, en el norte del departamento de Paysandú, y determinar a qué grupo pertenecían.
Los aeolosaurinos son un grupo de titanosaurios que vivió exclusivamente en el Cretácico Tardío, entre hace unos 89 y 66 millones de años, y su presencia en una formación geológica sirve como pista para fechar las rocas donde aparecen.
El equipo de investigadores también buscó usar ese hallazgo para resolver el misterio de la edad de la Formación Guichón y establecer si la fauna prehistórica de Uruguay tenía vínculos con la de Argentina y Brasil en ese mismo período.
Los restos fósiles del dinosaurio fueron encontrados por Guillermo Sena y Daniel Montano en la década de 1980, en un pequeño acantilado cerca de la orilla oeste del río Uruguay.
“Sena y Montano fueron a pescar a esa zona, y allí los encontraron”, señaló Perea. Décadas después, los científicos fotografiaron y midieron los restos con un calibre de precisión y los compararon con vértebras de otras especies de titanosaurios de América del Sur.
Con esos datos en la mano, realizaron un análisis filogenético (una especie de árbol genealógico basado en características físicas compartidas entre especies) para saber a qué familia de dinosaurios pertenecía el animal.
Usaron una matriz de datos con decenas de especies y el software TNT, que fue inventado por Pablo Goloboff, investigador del Conicet, James Farris y Kevin Nixon.
Para resolver también el misterio de la edad de la Formación Guichón, los investigadores uruguayos construyeron una tabla con la presencia o ausencia de 46 grupos de animales prehistóricos en 36 formaciones geológicas de Uruguay, Argentina, Brasil, Chile, África y Madagascar.
El objetivo era detectar qué faunas se parecían entre sí y, a partir de eso, estimar en qué período vivieron.
El árbol genealógico ubicó al Mesetasaurus protector dentro del grupo de los aeolosaurinos, lo que lo convirtió en una especie completamente nueva para la ciencia.
Además, pasó a ser la segunda especie de saurópodo registrada en Uruguay, de un linaje distinto al del Udelartitan celeste. “La nueva especie de dinosaurio habría medido diez metros de longitud”, dijo Perea a Infobae.
La comparación de las especies dio otro resultado relevante: la Formación Guichón se agrupa con formaciones patagónicas del Cretácico Tardío, como las formaciones Allen y Los Alamitos de Argentina, con las que comparte la presencia de aeolosaurinos y otros grupos animales del mismo período.
Eso indica que esa capa de roca es más reciente de lo que se creía: se formó probablemente entre hace 83 y 86 millones de años.
Esa datación más reciente también cambia la lectura sobre otros animales hallados en la misma formación. El cocodrilo prehistórico Uruguaysuchus, por ejemplo, podría haber sobrevivido hasta el Cretácico más tardío de lo que se pensaba.
El material de otros dinosaurios hallados en la Formación Guichón, como terópodos y ornitópodos —dinosaurios carnívoros y herbívoros de dos patas, respectivamente— aún está bajo estudio.
Esos análisis futuros, según los investigadores, podrían aportar más precisión sobre la edad y los vínculos de esta capa geológica con otras regiones de América del Sur.
barcelona,cataluña,españa,europa
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