RIGHT SPEAK: Thomas, Alito Blast SCOTUS For Ducking Case On Illegal-Alien Truck Drivers ‘Causing Fatal Accidents’: ‘This Court declines to even hear Florida’s claims, even though it has nowhere else to bring them,’ Justice Thomas wrote; Thomas Blasts SCOTUS for Decision On Florida Lawsuit Over Illegal Immigrant Truckers With Blue-State Licenses

Thomas, Alito Blast SCOTUS For Ducking Case On Illegal-Alien Truck Drivers ‘Causing Fatal Accidents’:

‘This Court declines to even hear Florida’s claims, even though it has nowhere else to bring them,’ Justice Thomas wrote.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito blasted their Supreme Court colleagues on Tuesday for ducking a pivotal interstate dispute over issuing commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to illegal aliens who can’t read or speak English.

The verbal smackdown came about in the high court’s most recent order list, in which the justices disclosed which cases they will not be taking up and hearing arguments in during its upcoming 2026 term. Among the rejected cases was Florida v. California and Washington, in which Florida sought to file a lawsuit against California and Washington “for defying federal law by providing commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens who cannot read English,” as summarized by Thomas.

In its October 2025 filing, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier asked the high court to greenlight and consider his state’s legal complaint against the aforementioned Democrat-run states over the contested policy. He noted that Florida’s “serious and dignified” claims “arise under the United States Constitution,” and that “there is no alternative forum to provide adequate relief.”

Article III of the U.S. Constitution notably grants the Supreme Court “original Jurisdiction” “In all Cases … in which a State shall be Party.” And yet, seven of the current court’s justices declined to take up and address the matter.

Writing in dissent on behalf of himself and Alito, Thomas blasted the high court for shirking its constitutional responsibility to handle disputes between the states. He additionally highlighted the “disturbing phenomenon” alleged by Florida: that the practice of states issuing CDLs to illegals who aren’t proficient in English is “causing fatal accidents on the road.”

The deadly consequences stemming from states issuing CDLs to non-English speaking or reading illegal aliens have garnered nationwide attention in recent months. As The Federalist previously reported, the Department of Transportation said that “[t]hirty people died in 17 semi-truck crashes caused by noncitizen commercial truck drivers in 2025” alone, with those figures likely being “an undercount.”

In his dissent, Thomas highlighted one of these tragedies stemming from the Sunshine State, in which a CDL-licensed Indian national “crashed a tractor-trailer into a minivan on the Florida Turnpike,” leaving three dead. As noted by the justice, law enforcement later discovered that the illegal alien “likely could not read the road signs” due to his inability to comprehend basic English — circumstances in which federal law bars states from issuing CDLs. --->READ MORE HERE

Jay Janner/The Austin American-Statesman

Thomas blasts SCOTUS for decision on Florida lawsuit over illegal immigrant truckers with blue-state licenses:

Florida sued alleging the states issued CDL licenses violating federal trucking and immigration laws after a fatal crash

Justice Clarence Thomas accused California and Washington of undermining federal immigration and trucking safety standards after a deadly Florida highway crash, blasting the Supreme Court on Tuesday for refusing to hear a case Florida had "nowhere else to bring."

Florida alleged the two blue states improperly issued commercial driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants in violation of federal standards requiring English proficiency and lawful immigration status for certain commercial drivers, arguing the policies created a public safety threat on American roads.

Thomas, joined by Justice Samuel Alito, said the Supreme Court had a constitutional obligation to hear the dispute because lawsuits between states can only be brought before the high court.

"If this Court does not exercise jurisdiction over a controversy between two States, then the complaining State has no judicial forum in which to seek relief," Thomas wrote.

Thomas argued that Florida’s allegations against Washington and California were serious because failing to follow federal commercial licensing laws can create dangerous road conditions and, he said, has contributed to deadly crashes.

Thomas pointed to the fatal Florida highway crash involving truck driver Harjinder Singh, who he said "could not read the road signs," and argued Florida deserved a chance to pursue its claims.