Fong, Houchin, Obernolte Introduce the Dalilah Law to Improve Roadway Safety

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) joined Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09) and Congressman Jay Obernolte (CA-23) in introducing the Dalilah Law, legislation that would increase roadway safety by ensuring undocumented immigrants are not able to obtain commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) or operate commercial trucks on America's roads. Recent crashes involving illegal immigrant truck drivers across the country, including in California, have raised serious concerns about highway safety and highlighted the need for stronger roadway safeguards.

In June 2024, Dalilah Coleman, a five-year-old girl from Bakersfield, suffered catastrophic, life-altering injuries when an illegal immigrant driving an eighteen-wheel tractor-trailer caused a six-car pileup. She endured a traumatic brain injury, skull fractures, a broken femur, and weeks in a coma. Today, she lives with permanent neurological damage and requires lifelong care due to an entirely preventable tragedy.

"Dalilah's story is a heartbreaking reminder that border security and public safety are not abstract issues; they impact real families right here in our community," said Congressman Fong. "What's worse is that this tragedy could have been prevented if California did not grant commercial driver's licenses to those in our country illegally. Politics should never be put ahead of public safety. Our laws must meet the safety standards required to operate big rigs on our roadways. We owe it to families like the Colemans to pursue commonsense reforms like the Delilah Law that protect Americans who travel our roads."

Dalilah and her father were recognized during the President's State of the Union, during which he called for a federal ban on states issuing CDLs to individuals who lack legal status, with strict English proficiency requirements so drivers can read road signs and communicate with law enforcement. Later that week, Congressman Fong met with the Coleman family in his Washington, D.C. office to discuss Dalilah's recovery, their shared Bakersfield roots, and the need for stronger immigration enforcement and roadway safety standards to ensure tragedies like this never happen to another family.

"Dalilah's story is a heartbreaking reminder that public safety must always come first," said Congressman Obernolte. "This legislation ensures that commercial driver's licenses are issued only to United States citizens, lawful permanent residents, and those lawfully authorized to work here. I am proud to support this bill to strengthen highway safety, restore accountability, and honor Dalilah and her family by working to prevent tragedies like this from happening again."

"Hoosiers are dying at the hands of illegal aliens, and Washington cannot ignore it any longer. Families should never fear who is behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound truck on our highways," said Congresswoman Houchin. "The Dalilah Law ensures commercial driver's licenses are limited to individuals who are lawfully present in the United States and able to meet the safety standards required to operate these massive vehicles."

Over the past year, the Department of Transportation has begun tightening CDL standards by requiring exams be administered in English, shutting down hundreds of unsafe commercial driving schools, pressuring states like California to comply with federal requirements-including the revocation of thousands of improperly issued licenses.

The Dalilah Law would build off of these reforms by requiring states to limit commercial driver's licenses to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and certain work visa holders as a condition of receiving federal Department of Transportation funding. It would also require states to revoke CDLs currently issued to illegal aliens and require CDL knowledge and skills tests to be administered only in English.

Today, Congressman Fong introduced the Coleman family at a Committee on Homeland Security hearing and highlighted the need for the Delilah Law. You can watch his remarks here. You can read the full bill text here.