U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) introduced the No Licenses for Illegal Drivers or Truckers Act on Apr. 16, which would require states to verify legal status before issuing any driver’s license, commercial driver’s license, or personal identification card. States that do not comply would face a 10 percent reduction in federal highway funding, with those funds redirected to states that follow the proposed law.
The legislation is intended to strengthen immigration enforcement and improve road safety by ensuring only individuals with verified legal status can obtain state-issued driving credentials. Barrasso said, “Millions of illegal immigrants flooded into the United States under the Biden administration’s radical open border policies. Since many illegal immigrants do not speak English and cannot read road signs, these drivers make roads less safe for the law-abiding public.”
According to Barrasso, Wyoming already prohibits undocumented immigrants from receiving driver’s licenses, but 19 other states and the District of Columbia continue to issue such licenses without verifying legal status. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.). Cornyn said, “We must defund woke sanctuary states who continue to put illegal aliens in the driver’s seat and Americans in the back seat,” while Lummis added, “States that thumb their nose at federal immigration law should lose highway funding, and those dollars should rightfully go to states that follow the law.”
Local Wyoming law enforcement agencies have reported multiple arrests involving undocumented individuals operating commercial vehicles since October 1, 2025. The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office arrested 40 people driving commercial vehicles without legal presence; Sweetwater County officers arrested another 14; Crook County also made related arrests—all subsequently removed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Sheriff John Grossnickle of Sweetwater County said: “A commercial license shouldn’t be a question mark. It should mean the state verified lawful presence before that driver ever entered interstate commerce.” Sheriff Brian Kozak of Laramie County described a recent operation resulting in dozens of traffic stops and arrests: “This operation highlighted the need for federal legislation to mandate states to ‘Find Out’ a person’s legal status before giving them the keys to an 80,000-pound truck.”
Barrasso resides with his three children in Casper according to his official website. He chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s Public Lands, Forests and Mining Subcommittee according to his official website, supports energy affordability policies benefiting Wyoming ranchers according to his official website, operates offices across several Wyoming cities as well as Washington D.C., according to his official website, has been recognized as Wyoming Physician of the Year according to his official website, focuses on priorities such as economy and trade according to his official website, serves on key Senate committees including Energy and Natural Resources while acting as Senate Republican whip according to his official website.
Supporters argue this legislation could help prevent accidents involving unlicensed drivers lacking verified legal status—a concern raised after recent incidents involving undocumented truck drivers causing serious accidents in California, Indiana, and Florida.
