Video Filmed at an Iowa Truck Stop Makes Unverified Claims About Foreign Drivers and Non-Domicile CDLs — X Is Reacting

A video shared on X by @WallStreetApes, filmed at a truck stop in Brooklyn, Iowa, has drawn calls for stricter immigration enforcement and changes to commercial driver licensing rules after making claims about foreign truckers and non-domicile CDLs..

The video was shot by a truck driver who says he spent several hours at a Pilot truck stop in Brooklyn, Iowa, after a follower suggested he visit the location. During the recording, the driver said he spoke with truckers he believed to be from countries including India, Somalia, and China, though the basis for those identifications was not explained.

"I've been here for seven hours," the driver says, and adds that he spoke with roughly 30 to 40 drivers and "maybe five of them spoke English." He said he did not film the other drivers or directly question them about their language abilities, though he said most could not hold a conversation in English.

Then the video transitions to a narrator who cites data about non-domicile CDLs and claims that more than 80% are issued by Democratic-led states. The narrator specifically references Illinois, California and New York while arguing that those states are responsible for the majority of non-domicile licenses. The video also questions whether some drivers can actually read road signs or interact with law enforcement.

On X, one commenter wrote, "My brother has been a truck driver for 40 years, and he can't get a load now because of all the illegal drivers taking less pay." Another called for increased law enforcement at truck stops, while others advocated for stricter immigration enforcement or deportation. Some commenters linked undocumented immigration to trucking jobs or government benefits, though the video itself does not establish the immigration status of any individual shown.

Many of the video's assertions cannot be verified from the footage alone. The driver's observations about English proficiency, for instance, do not establish anything about the immigration status, licensing history, or legal work authorization of the drivers he encountered.

Currently, there is increased federal scrutiny of non-domicile CDLs. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) defines a non-domicile CDL as a license issued to an individual who is not domiciled in a U.S. state but is otherwise eligible under federal law. California identified irregularities in thousands of non-domicile CDL issuances, leading to license reviews and revocations after state audits.

Separately, federal and state officials are continuing to examine compliance with commercial licensing standards and English-language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers.

Federal regulations require commercial motor vehicle operators to be able to read and speak English sufficiently to understand highway traffic signs and signals and to respond to official inquiries, according to 49 CFR Part 391.11.

The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made in this video, including the driver's observations about English proficiency at the truck stop, the national origin or immigration status of any individuals shown or described, or the statistical claims made by the narrator regarding non-domicile CDL issuances by state. The video does not establish the immigration status, licensing history, or legal work authorization of any driver depicted or referenced.

Information about non-domicile CDL regulations was drawn from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's publicly available definitions and from state-level audit reports. The English-language proficiency requirement for commercial drivers is established under 49 CFR Part 391.11 and reflects existing federal law, not a claim made in the video.

The details above reflect the video as shared on X by @WallStreetApes. The identity of the driver who filmed the original video and the TikTok or social media account on which it was first posted have not been confirmed.