Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., is pushing a sweeping crackdown on commercial driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, using the devastating injuries suffered by an Indiana first-grader as a central argument for tighter federal rules.
Banks is advancing what he calls the Dalilah Law, legislation designed to prevent states from issuing commercial driver's licenses to people who are unlawfully in the United States. The bill would also revoke certain existing licenses and require commercial-driving tests to be administered in English.
The proposal comes as Republicans race to turn several immigration policies backed by President Donald Trump into federal law before the 2026 midterm elections. Banks argues that executive actions can be reversed by a future administration, while legislation would make the changes more difficult to undo.
The tragedy behind the Dalilah Law
The legislation is named after Dalilah Coleman, an Indiana first-grader who suffered catastrophic injuries in a June 2024 multi-vehicle crash involving a commercial truck.
According to Banks' office, the truck was driven by Partap Singh, an Indian national who had entered the United States illegally in 2022 and was later issued a commercial driver's license by California authorities.
Dalilah's injuries were devastating.
Her father said the crash left her unable to walk, talk or eat normally. She spent three weeks in a coma and approximately six months in the hospital. Doctors performed a craniectomy, and she spent months without part of her skull.
She also suffered a broken femur and skull fractures and was subsequently diagnosed with cerebral palsy and developmental delays, according to Banks' office.
The case has become a powerful political example for Republicans seeking to change how commercial licenses are issued to noncitizens.
Banks says federal action is needed
Banks argues that the current system leaves too much discretion to individual states and creates inconsistencies in CDL standards.
The Indiana Republican told Fox News Digital that he is particularly concerned about illegal immigrants operating large commercial trucks on American roads.
"I cannot believe that the Democrats are so radical and extreme today that they're OK with what's happened to our country [with] illegals taking jobs for Americans or allowing illegals to be behind the wheel of semi-trucks," Banks said.
His legislation would establish federal requirements that states would have to meet in order to continue receiving certain federal transportation funding.
The proposal would limit CDL eligibility to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and certain qualifying visa holders. It would also require states to revoke licenses that do not meet the new eligibility requirements.
English testing becomes another flashpoint
Another major element of the legislation is an English-language requirement for CDL testing.
Banks argues that commercial truck drivers need to understand road signs, communicate effectively and comprehend safety instructions.
His proposal would require CDL knowledge and skills testing to be conducted in English.
Supporters describe the provision as a basic safety requirement, while critics have raised questions about its effects on the trucking workforce and whether additional restrictions could worsen existing driver shortages.
The debate is likely to become more intense if Congress moves the legislation forward.
Part of a larger immigration package
The CDL legislation is only one piece of Banks' broader seven-bill immigration package.
The senator is also pushing measures dealing with birthright citizenship, chain migration, Temporary Protected Status, H-1B visas and federal funding for border security.
Banks says Republicans have a limited amount of time before the midterms to turn Trump's immigration agenda into permanent legislation.
He argues that simply relying on presidential executive actions leaves policies vulnerable to reversal if Democrats regain control of Congress and the White House.
"If we legislate it and give Congress power to determine when TPS is appropriate when it's not, then we'll be able to address these issues long after President Trump leaves the White House," Banks told Fox News Digital.
The same argument is at the heart of his CDL push.
Republicans see a political opening
The issue has become part of a broader Republican effort to make immigration and public safety major issues heading into the 2026 elections.
Banks is warning that Republicans could lose the opportunity to enact their preferred immigration policies if they wait until after the midterms.
His comments reflect a broader concern among congressional Republicans that policies established through executive action could disappear under a future Democratic administration.
The CDL debate gives Republicans an opportunity to connect immigration policy with a highly emotional public-safety issue: the operation of heavy commercial vehicles on American highways.
Critics could challenge the proposal
While Banks and other supporters argue that the bill would make roads safer, the legislation could face opposition from Democrats, immigration advocates and portions of the trucking industry.
The trucking industry depends heavily on immigrant workers, and additional restrictions on CDL eligibility could reduce the pool of qualified drivers.
Immigration attorneys have also warned that other portions of Banks' immigration package could significantly affect businesses and foreign workers.
That means the debate is unlikely to be limited to immigration enforcement. It could also involve questions about labor supply, transportation costs and the ability of trucking companies to recruit enough drivers.
What the bill would change
If enacted, the Dalilah Law would make several significant changes:
Restrict CDL eligibility for people who are unlawfully present in the United States.
Revoke certain existing commercial licenses that do not comply with the new federal standards.
Limit eligibility to citizens, lawful permanent residents and specified qualifying visa holders.
Require English-language CDL testing.
Tie state compliance to federal transportation funding.
The legislation has been introduced in the Senate and referred for consideration; it has not become law.
A personal story at the center of a national debate
For Banks, Dalilah Coleman's injuries provide a human face to what he describes as a dangerous gap in the nation's immigration and commercial-driving systems.
The senator argues that Americans should not have to accept the risk of improperly licensed commercial drivers operating massive trucks on public highways.
The legislation's opponents, meanwhile, are likely to focus on whether the proposed restrictions are appropriately targeted and what consequences they could have for the trucking workforce.
As Congress approaches the midterm elections, Banks is betting that Dalilah's story will help persuade lawmakers that the federal government needs to establish uniform rules rather than leaving CDL eligibility primarily to the states.
For Dalilah's family, however, the issue is far more personal than a Washington policy debate. Her injuries have permanently changed her childhood and created a lifetime of medical and therapeutic needs.
Banks is now attempting to turn that tragedy into legislation designed to prevent similar crashes — and make the rules governing who can drive America's largest trucks considerably stricter.
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