Sen. Judy Ward Issues Statement on the Indiana Crash Involving an Illegal Alien CDL Holder

HARRISBURG - Sen. Judy Ward (R-30) issued the following statement today regarding the recent fatal crash in Indiana involving an illegal alien CDL holder:

"As chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, I am calling on PennDOT to immediately re-evaluate all non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses in light of the recent fatal crash in the state of Indiana involving a Pennsylvania-issued, non-domiciled CDL held by Bekzhan Bieshekeev of Kyrgyzstan. Effective Sept. 29, 2025, the federal government issued an interim final rule to restore the integrity of non-domiciled CDLs, and PennDOT was subsequently directed to pause the issuance of these licenses. The committee held a fact-finding hearing on Dec. 9, 2025, and we are actively preparing legislation to address deficiencies, inconsistencies and loopholes in the current system. With the ongoing investigations at both the federal and state levels, it is important that we act swiftly to safeguard the public in Pennsylvania and beyond its borders. These efforts require a strong federal-state partnership as we continue to address this critical matter. Pennsylvanians deserve assurances from their federal and state leaders - not political finger-pointing - that our roadways will be safe from criminal illegal migrants."

Contact:
717-787-2421