Bus driver Charged in Fatal Wreck Entered U.S. Illegally, Still Given NYS License: Report

Another illegal immigrant driver in a deadly accident.

According to a New York Post report, a Chinese national charged in a deadly tour bus crash on a Tennessee highway entered the United States illegally, yet was still issued a driver’s license by New York state.

Huang Yisong, 54, crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in 2023 and was released under Biden administration policies, eventually making his way to Brooklyn, where he later obtained a New York State commercial driver’s license, according to federal homeland security and transportation officials.

“Far too many innocent Americans have been killed by illegal aliens driving semi-trucks and big rigs,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement to The Post.

“And yet, sanctuary states around the country have been issuing illegal aliens commercial driver’s licenses.”

Yisong was taken into custody on vehicular homicide charges following last week’s crash on Interstate 40 West, which killed a 31-year-old truck driver and injured several others, officials said.

Federal authorities said Yisong admitted to U.S. Border Patrol agents that he entered the country illegally, but was later released with work authorization papers and a Social Security card — documents that allowed him to obtain a New York State commercial driver’s license earlier this year.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, which has denied wrongdoing, said Wednesday that Yisong’s license was issued on April 11, 2025, after he presented what the agency described as legitimate federal documents.

The case has thrust the issue of commercial licenses for migrants in sanctuary states like New York back into the national spotlight — a central focus of the Trump White House’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

“The Trump Administration is ending the chaos,” Noem said. “The brave men and women of ICE are working nonstop to get criminal illegal aliens out of our communities and off our roads.”

Last week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned New York State to “come into compliance” with rules pertaining to the granting of commercial driver’s licenses, or lose federal funding.

“Fifty-three percent of New York’s non-domiciled CDLs were issued unlawfully or illegally,” he said during a press conference.

He asserted in a post on X, “We’re holding New York accountable for issuing non-domicile commercial driver’s licenses to truckers illegally. FULL STOP. We’re giving New York 30 days to comply or we’ll withhold $73 MILLION! The safety of the American people comes first.”

More over at The New York Post:

Tour bus driver charged in fatal wreck entered US illegally — and was still issued NYS license: feds https://t.co/kDwhQ3m5mh pic.twitter.com/eYluvzhjVf

— New York Post (@nypost) December 17, 2025