WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation said Friday that 53% of commercial truck driver’s licenses issued to foreigners in New York state are illegal.

Citing safety issues, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy threatened to withhold millions of dollars in federal funding from New York if it doesn’t comply within 30 days to DOT regulations for worker eligibility.

“What New York does if an applicant comes in and they have a work authorization for 30 days, for 60 days, one year, New York automatically issues them an eight-year commercial driver’s license,” Duffy said at a news conference, where he alleged the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles also failed to verify foreign drivers’ U.S. employment eligibility.

“Secretary Duffy is lying about New York State once again in a despe

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