Trending Now - Thomas and Alito Criticize SCOTUS Ruling on Immigrant Truckers
WHO:
Alternet - Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito criticized the Supreme Court's decision.
Alternet - Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy claimed there was an outbreak of crashes.
Alternet - Law Professor Steve Vladeck from Georgetown University commented on the dissent.
Alternet - Joe Dudek, a trial and appellate attorney, discussed the implications of the dissent.
WHAT:
Alternet - Thomas and Alito stated that the refusal to hear the case was "disturbingly common," although they provided no evidence to support this claim.
Alternet - Thomas and Alito wrote, "Without explanation, the Court today denies Florida leave to file its suit and proceed to the motion-to-dismiss stage."
Alternet - The dissent included a statement that if Florida were an independent nation, it might resolve the dispute through "diplomacy, by submitting it to international arbitration or by self-help measures."
Alternet - Joe Dudek commented that the dissent implies California's issuance of driver's licenses to illegal immigrants could justify Florida going to war with California if they were not part of the same country.
Alternet - The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case involving a dispute between California and Florida regarding commercial driver's licenses.
Alternet - The case involved a man from India who received a commercial driver's license despite failing his test in Washington state and was involved in an accident that killed three people.
Alternet - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) identified at least five fatal crashes involving non-domiciled CDL holders, representing 0.31 percent of all fatal truck accidents reported through July 2025.
Fox News - Thomas dissented after the Supreme Court refused to hear Florida's lawsuit over states allegedly issuing CDL licenses to illegal immigrants.
WHERE:
Alternet - The dispute involved California and Florida regarding the issuance of commercial driver's licenses.
WHEN:
Alternet - The Supreme Court denied the "motion for leave to file a bill of complaint" on a Tuesday.
Alternet - The FMCSA reported 1,600 fatal truck crashes through July 2025.
WHY:
Alternet - Thomas and Alito claimed that the refusal to hear the case was unjustified and that the Court should have granted Florida leave to file its complaint.
Alternet - The dissent argued that California's issuance of driver's licenses to illegal immigrants could justify Florida taking extreme measures.
HOW:
Alternet - The Supreme Court typically hears cases involving disputes between states directly, but in this instance, it chose not to do so.
(UPDATED May 26, 2026 21:28 UTC)
In a recent dissent, Justices Thomas and Alito criticized the Court's refusal to hear Florida's case, calling it "disturbingly common" without providing supporting evidence. They noted that the Court denied Florida's request to proceed with its suit, and suggested that if Florida were an independent nation, it might resolve its disputes through diplomacy or other measures. Commenting on the dissent, Joe Dudek pointed out that it implies California's issuance of driver's licenses to illegal immigrants could potentially justify Florida taking extreme actions against California if they were not part of the same country.
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(UPDATED May 26, 2026 17:58 UTC)
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a case involving a dispute between California and Florida over the issuance of commercial driver's licenses, which has drawn criticism from Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. The case centered on an individual from India who received a commercial driver's license despite failing his test in Washington state and was later involved in a tragic accident that resulted in three fatalities. Law Professor Steve Vladeck and attorney Joe Dudek discussed the implications of the Court's refusal to hear the case, with Thomas and Alito arguing that the decision was unjustified and that Florida should have been allowed to file its complaint.