Expired Visas & Illegals – End Trucker Licensing

Americans should not have to worry about unqualified or illegal alien drivers operating 85,000-pound trucks on public roads.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:

Terri Hall, Founder/Executive Director
TURF & Texans for Toll-free Highways
(210) 275-0640

JoAnn Fleming, Executive Director
Grassroots America – We the People
(903) 360-2858

Three Texas grassroots organizations applaud Secretary Duffy's emergency action on commercial driver licensing

Call for stronger federal oversight of autonomous 18-wheelers due to national security concerns

(AUSTIN, TEXAS — October 6, 2025) — Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom(TURF), Texans for Toll-free Highways (TTH), and Grassroots America – We the People (GAWTP) are committed to protecting the safety and sovereignty of Texas roads and highways and announce their strong support of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s emergency actions announced Friday, September 26, 2025. The new rule targeting the abuse of non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) is a bold and necessary move that prioritizes the lives and safety of American citizens.

The Department of Transportation’s decision to crack down on dangerously lax licensing procedures is long overdue. The groups share Duffy’s outrage over the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) review of state issuances of both CDLs and commercial learner’s permits (CLP) that found substantial non-compliance of drivers who live in a state or country with different standards than the state where they are licensed. 

Texas is one of six states in systematic non-compliance for issuing non-domiciled CDLs along with California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Washington. 

“American families should not have to worry about unqualified or unlawfully-present individuals operating 85,000-pound trucks on public roads. Texans are fed-up with policies that put political correctness over basic public safety,” noted TURF Founder and Executive Director Terri Hall

“We applaud Secretary Duffy and the Trump administration for taking decisive action and demanding accountability from rogue states. Dangerous drivers with expired visas or no legal status should never have been licensed to begin with. This rule is a victory for safety, common sense, and the rule of law,” remarked JoAnn Fleming, Executive Director of Grassroots America. 

History of opposing dangerous trucking policies

TURF has been a vocal opponent of the cross-border trucking program since its implementation under NAFTA. Under both Democrat and Republican administrations, TURF strongly pushed back against policies that allowed unsafe or inadequately vetted foreign drivers to operate in the U.S. Despite years of advocacy, federal inaction persisted—until now.

“We have been sounding the alarm for decades,” Hall added. “We are pleased to finally see the Trump administration do something about it. This emergency rule is a long-overdue step in the right direction.”

 

Texas Must Lead by Example

While Texas has long been a leader in transportation, these grassroots groups believe this revelation should be a wake-up call. 

“There is no room for error when it comes to public safety on our highways,” Hall continued. “Texas must show it is part of the solution—not part of the problem. We’re relieved DPS announced last week that it will no longer be issuing CDLs to non-citizens, we will be closely monitoring the situation in Texas until we are confident that all trucking companies are following the law and that unsafe licenses are revoked.”

 

Groups urge federal action on AV trucks

In addition to supporting this critical regulatory reform, the groups also call on the federal government to take immediate and bold action regarding the proliferation of Level 4 and Level 5 Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) (primarily commercial trucks) — vehicles operating with no human driver onboard.

TURF has long warned that fully driverless commercial trucks represent a grave national security threat, as well as a ticking time bomb for public safety:

  • A completely driverless 18-wheeler could be weaponized with ease.
  • Hacking by hostile actors (or nations) or technological malfunctionscould be weaponized and used to crash into buildings, critical infrastructure, cause catastrophic multi-vehicle pile-ups, or block major roadways.
  • These vehicles remove human judgment from high-speed, high-stakes traffic environments.
  • The public has had no voice or consent in allowing these machines on our roads.

“We are deeply concerned that while we work to close dangerous loopholes around foreign CDL holders, Big Tech is quietly replacing them with driverless trucks that are just as, if not more, dangerous,” added Hall. “If a human driver can cause a fatal crash due to negligence, what happens when there’s no driver and the system fails or gets hacked? We’ve seen the headlines — it’s not a matter of if, but when” (emphasis ours).

The groups urge President Trump to press Congress to take immediate legislative action to protect all Americans from the dangers of commercial AVs, and also call on the U.S. Department of Transportation to:

  • Place an immediate moratorium on the operation of fully autonomous commercial vehicles (Levels 4 and 5).
  • Conduct a national security assessment on the potential weaponization of autonomous trucks.
  • Require public hearings and state-level input before these technologies are authorized for widespread use.
  • Demand strict cybersecurity standards for any AI-operated vehicle used in interstate commerce.
  • Require a human driver to be present in every AV.

Secretary Duffy’s emergency action is a pivotal step in restoring integrity and safety to our roads. TURF urges continued vigilance and transparency—not just for CDL licensing, but for the growing and largely unregulated frontier of autonomous trucking. American lives, infrastructure, and national security must not be sacrificed in the name of automation or political expediency.

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Unmasking 2025 Texas House Betrayers

Unmasking 2025 Texas House Betrayers

Twin Threats to your Family & Liberty –
Unmasking the Betrayers

There’s the danger you easily see – Leftist Democrats…

Then there’s the cloaked danger that’s harder to see – disguised in false unityRepublicans who join and enable Leftist Democrats.

Both are a danger to your family and your liberty.

Do you feel betrayed when Republicans in the US House and Senate fail to support the America First Agenda President Trump is trying hard to deliver?

We saw betrayal happen in Trump’s first term, which set the stage for the Biden Administration to move full-bore to destroy our country.  Even now, DC Republicans are moving at a snail’s pace to codify Trump’s Executive Orders into law. 

Do you feel betrayed when Chief Justice John Roberts sides with liberals on the US Supreme Court?

Facts prove that this betrayal also repeatedly happens in our Republican majority Texas State Legislature!

Republican agreement with the Democrats’ anti-family, anti-Liberty, Big Government policies can only accelerate the decline of Texas and America!

 See our new video about False Unity that Endangers Texas 

Grassroots America knows that Texas Republicans won’t tolerate Republican legislators who vote like Democrats if they can see irrefutable facts.

Good News! Grassroots America exposes the betrayal by providing the facts for you – all taken from public records and source-linked. 

We rip open the windows into your TX Legislature so that YOU can SEE for yourself.  We connect the dots the political class doesn’t want you to be able to see!

Do the votes of your Republican legislators line up with your values? Or do they disagree with conservative Republican legislators more than they ever disagree with the Democrats?

 We expose the betrayers.
Find out for yourself at the links below! 

HouseofBadCards.com

HouseofGoodCards.com

GrassrootsPriorities.com

Be sure to check out Votes/Actions that violate the Republican Party of Texas Platform and Principles. See 35 things Republican Legislators should never vote for!

We tie these 35 betrayals back to specific platform planks and principles.

Under Votes/Actions, when you click on View Detail, you will see detailed evidence of the betrayals.

Under Methodology, discover the math behind our unique ratings of Texas State Reps. by clicking here.

You can even compare the 2025 89th Session Bad Cards to the 2023 88th Session Bad Cards. Many of those 2023 bad cards are no longer in the Texas House!  Click here to review those!

Don’t tolerate Republican legislators who enable Democrats and don’t be “red teamed” into a fake unity that sells out Texans!

 Notice that we do not have this hidden behind a paywall.  

We are so thankful for the talent, expertise, and funding the Lord has provided to Grassroots America so that we can offer this to Texans at no charge.

Fighting for the Liberty that our Creator and God-fearing Founders intended,

JoAnn Fleming

Charlie Kirk, Salt & Light 

Charlie Kirk, Salt & Light 

The Assassination of Charlie Kirk
They Cannot Kill His Legacy!

Grassroots America thanks Almighty God for raising up Charlie Kirk to serve His purpose for this nation. We are thankful for Charlie’s strong, unflinching proclamation of witnessing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as our eternal Savior.  

Since he was 19 years old, Charlie boldly voiced unwavering commitment to traditional American values – respect for the sanctity of all human life, active patriotism, steadfast commitment to the God-defined family, a return to fiscal responsibility, and a deep dedication to the advancement of liberty (opportunities for all and favoritism for none). 

We join our America First friends and colleagues across this nation in heartbroken mourning for the loss of Charlie – a fierce, winsome, happy warrior who ignited hope and action in the hearts of young Americans. 

Charlie stormed the culture with salt and light.  Charlie knew what time it was and thus acted with a bold sense of purpose and urgency.

In the wake of his assassination, we pray with great expectation that God will use this senseless murder to raise up millions more Charlie Kirks to speak against the culture of soul-eating darkness and lead young Americans into the glorious light of a life submitted to Creator God and lived out to that life’s fullest purpose. 

The evil one wants our movement to be discouraged, distracted, and lured away from our calling to stand for Truth.

Friends, we cannot compromise Truth, nor squander our time here in exchange for beguiling, pragmatic compromises with those who just want us to stop speaking Truth!   

What satan meant for evil, God will surely turn for good! 

Our prayers are with Charlie’s heartbroken wife, children, extended family, and the Turning Point USA family. May they feel the deep and abiding peace of Christ’s embrace as they awaken to the fact that Charlie Kirk is more alive today with his Savior than he ever was on this earth.

Today, Charlie Kirk heard Jesus say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” 

May we lean into our own calling with an earnest passion for Truth and a commitment to save Texas – and thus these United States – for the generations who follow us.

With love for you Texas patriots,

JoAnn Fleming
No Unity Without Accountability

No Unity Without Accountability

I hear that a State Rep “reformer” chose to call me out by name Tuesday night on the RPT’s X Live because of our public call for bold Republican leadership on accountability — accountability for Democrats who broke quorum and for Republicans who put politicians over the people.  LOL! I. Do. Not. Care. It’s the best advertising we never had to buy!

Hang in here with me as I tell you about three YUGE issues:

  1. the dangerous redistricting political theater that hasn’t punished one single Democrat;
  2. our call for Republicans to send maximum reinforcements to Trump;
  3. 89th Legislative Session Priorities “FAIL/Success” stats to remind you what is at stake.

Texas is at stake! The Trump Agenda is at stake!

The US is in imminent peril if we lose the 2026 mid-terms!

The Republican Party of Texas leadership must not allow the hard work of the conservative grassroots to be undermined by Republican elected officials. We cannot support unifying around leadership that puts politicians’ priorities ahead of those of Republican voters.  At the end of this message, you will find a link to RPT Chairman George’s letter to Republican legislators and the draft Legislative Task Force Report.

Dangerous Redistricting Political Theater – Our Call to Maximize Trump Support

Enough is enough! What in the world is the Republican Party of Texas leadership waiting for? We can see a post-Trump America from here! 

Right now – in this 2nd Special Legislative Session, we need to do what it takes to send Trump as many Republican fighters as possible! 

The conservative grassroots movement has demanded punishment for cowardly Democrats who fled their duty, abandoning TX to break quorum. Their betrayal should not go unanswered!  The Texans who overwhelmingly voted for Trump deserve better!

Republican Party of Texas, you have a voice – use it and lead! We urge you to:

  • Carve Out at least 9 New Republican Strongholds: Redistrict congressional maps to secure nine unassailable GOP seats, cementing Republican dominance in Washington. Trump’s EOs must be codified into law or the Uni-party will destroy his successes! Here’s Gov. Greg Abbott August 12 on Fox Business declaring Texas could eliminate 10 Democrat Congressional Districts! Why isn’t Republican leadership pushing for 10 instead of 5?
  • Overhaul the Texas House: Redraw House Districts to reduce Democrat footholds, ensuring super-majority Republican control and then – for the love of God – use that super majority to put Texas families and small businesses ahead of corporate welfare and big spending!  
  • Erase Democrat Seniority: Wipe out their years of tenure, stripping them of any power in committees or leadership.
  • Block Every Democrat Bill: House Speaker Burrows is currently pushing forward bills from Democrats who broke quorum! Stop with the chummy photo ops!  Take a stand NOW and call on Burrows to reject every single bill authored by Democrats, sending a clear message – their agenda is dead on arrival.
  • Expel the Democrat deserters: Republican leaders should STOP making promises they don’t intend to deliver!  For all the grandstanding by Republican leaders, not one Democrat has been punished.

This is a war – fight to win! The grassroots all over Texas are outraged.  If the Texas GOP refuses to act decisively with the full might and support of Texas conservatives, they will render themselves meaningless.

RPT – Seize the advantage for Texas while the advantage may be captured; and in so doing, deliver Texans from a future of great misfortune!

Sincerely, Grassroots America – We the People

Saving Liberty matters more to us than what any politician has to say.

Republican Party of Texas, you have a voice – use it and lead! We urge you to:

Lest you think we are too harsh on GOP politicians, please review the following summary “report card” on the 89th Regular Legislative Session.  To see sourced evidence of violations of Republican values, principles, and platform, click here.

Why do we emphasize accountability?  Because the Republican Majority we already have in the legislature once again failed to pass priorities Texas Republicans designated as critical – both at the convention and on the March 2024 GOP Primary ballot! They also failed on eliminating property taxes, while spending the surplus on growing government programs, corporate welfare, and handouts for Hollywood.

Here are the Republican Majority’s results on legislative priorities – (thanks to Legislative Priorities committee member Tom Glass).

No Democrat Chairs – FAIL; Republican House leadership empowered  Democrats by handing all committee vice chair positions to Democrats; Republican Committee Chairs then installed Democrats as subcommittee chairs and granted them extra funding to run those subcommittees. Notably, Appropriations Chair Greg Bonnen-R assigned half his subcommittee chair positions to Democrats. What Republican puts Democrats in charge of deciding how to spend our tax dollars?

Border Enforcement – FAIL; Not a single border-related bill that the SREC Legislative Priorities Committee endorsed passed; bills were killed in committee by GOP Senate Border Committee Chair Sen. Brian Birdwell and in the House by GOP State Affairs Committee Chair Ken King. 

Border Enforcement FAIL Facts:  Priority to repel invasion/deter illegal immigration:

Creating a Texas Department of Homeland Security to prevent illegal entry and trafficking, and to deport illegal aliens to Mexico or to their nations of origin. FAIL

Prohibiting, with mandatory fines and jail time, individuals, corporations, non-profits, governments, and social media entities from assisting or inciting illegal entry. FAIL

Requiring the use of E-Verify by all employers in Texas with significant penalties for business owners who violate this requirement. FAIL

Ending all subsidies and public services, including in-state college tuition and enrollment in public schools, for illegal aliens, except for emergency medical care. FAIL

End Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying – FAIL; killed in the House by GOP Committee Chair Ken King, installed by Republican Speaker Burrows.

Secure Texas Elections – 10% passed; 90% of all RPT-endorsed reform bills failed due to the House Elections Committee Chaired by GOP State Rep. Matt Shaheen and GOP Calendars Committee Chair Todd Hunter; the TX Senate – under the duress of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick – gutted a major elections bill that would have stopped the Secretary of State from issuing unconstitutional election law waivers). Why?

End Federal Overreach – 30% passed; 70% failed – once again because GOP Committee Chairs in the House and Senate refused to move the bills. What did we lose with this failure?  The Texas Sovereignty Act, Resist FBI Weaponization Against Texans, Refuse to Cooperate With Federal Health Emergencies, Resisting Global Interference, Protection of Intrastate Firearms Manufacture/Sale, seven transportation freedom bills, nine medical freedom bills, the Come and Take It provision won’t be on the November Constitutional Amendment ballot to add to the TX Bill of Rights a ban on the federal gov’t regulating the manufacture, possession, sale, or use of firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition in Texas.

Stop Sexualizing Texas Kids – 45% success.  This priority is a prime example of smart, strategic leadership from a group of parents led by SREC Christin Bentley.  Republican House leadership has historically been openly hostile to social issues because the Democrats culturally influence them.  With thousands of you emailing and calling Republican offices, you moved them to protect children. Christin and her team will be back for the 90th session to get the other 55% passed!

Secure the Electric Grid – 70% success. Another prime example of smart, strategic leadership from many grassroot leaders who have worked for a decade with Sen. Bob Hall to protect our electric grid. We were not successful in beating back the Big Oil lobby’s support for unreliable green renewables. They love those taxpay subsidies.   

Texas is Not for Sale – success!  SB 17 bans the sale of real property in Texas (discontinues taxpayer funding and incentives) to governments, entities, and proxies of China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia, and to individuals from these nations who are not legal permanent residents or citizens of the US. SRECs Deborah Fite, Gaylyn DeVine, and Christin Bentley were bulldogs and would not let Republican legislators gut this bill! Together, with the grassroots calling and emailing, these ladies stood strong for Texas and would not waiver! 

Click here to see RPT Chairman George’s letter
to Republican legislators and the draft Legislative Task Force Report.

Stay tuned for Part 2, coming next week.  We’ll bring MORE irrefutable receipts that show you the bad actors and how they are undermining everything you believe in.

Fight! Fight! Fight for Texas – without hesitation,

JoAnn Fleming
JoAnn Fleming
Executive Director
Grassroots America – We the People PAC
Texas Conservative Grassroots Coalition

What Would You Do…

What Would You Do…

What Would You Do if Somebody Ran Up a Big Tab on Your Credit Card, Told You to Pay It, and Just Shut Up with the Questions?  

Local Government will eat up any tax relief you thought the Legislature might give you. Here’s an example from our home base in Smith County, Texas.

“There is just an unbelievable lack of public planning, due diligence, transparency and an abject failure to talk about – much less resolve – the extreme backlog of promised County Road Bond Projects.  We’ve been waiting for months for the Commissioners Court to tell the public how they will make good on the promised roads. The public gets the sound of crickets.

“Add to that a lack of orderly planning to address the cost of staffing the new courthouse and ZERO interest in looking for ways to reduce spending – and we’ve got ourselves runaway spending in Smith County.

“There is ZERO consideration of taxpayers. That’s why Grassroots America Opposes Smith County Commissioners Court Approval of $25.6 Million in Downtown Investments with the Tyler Mayor and City Council. They have way too many high priced projects started and none completed. 

“Nobody with any sense would run a household or a business this way. It’s far past unacceptable.”

~ JoAnn Fleming, Executive Director and self-term-limited county commissioner

July 7, 2025 – Tyler, Texas  |  Today, Grassroots America’s Executive Director JoAnn Fleming sent to Smith County Judge Neal Franklin and County Commissioners notification of the organization’s strong objections to a $25.6 Million Downtown Investment scheme slated for a presentation, discussion and a potential vote on Tuesday, July 8, at a 2:00 PM special joint meeting of the Smith County Commissioners Court and the Tyler City Council.

According to the posted agenda, the Tyler City Council is asking the Smith County Commissioners Court to participate in a Capital Improvement Project with a $25.6 Million price tag along with approval of Public Square Lease and Use Agreements.

No drafts or planning documents were posted in the Commissioners Court agenda packet to allow the public an opportunity to review and provide public comments.  Moreover, the policy governing Downtown Square usage is a dedicated County responsibility – a responsibility that should not be abdicated nor rushed without full disclosure to taxpaying citizens, along with an opportunity for those citizens to consent or object.

Funding sources for the $25.6 Million in project costs and project details were not revealed in the agenda packet

When the Grassroots America Board of Directors met with County Judge Neal Franklin on May 9 to discuss budgetary concerns, he mentioned not a word about a $25.6 Million Downtown Tyler Investment project.

Grassroots America poses a sobering question:

Is this project in addition to the current massive taxpayer burdens to pay for the following:

  • The Court House Bond of approximately $160 Million plus interest,
  • The Parking Garage Bond of approximately $19 Million plus interest,
  • Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZ), dedicating tens of millions of dollars through years 2038 and 2047,
  • The UNFINISHED2017 & 2021 Road Bond Projects of approximately $84.5 Million plus interest,
  • and the FY2026 Budget and tax rate-setting process currently in progress?

Smith County taxpayers need and deserve better notification and transparency. Commissioners Drewry and Herod took office in January 2025, and these issues have not appeared on any agenda until now.

Why are Commissioners receiving details and being asked to vote the same day?  Why was no special evening public meeting planned to allow the public to see, hear, and ask questions about the project?

Taxpayers have every right to know how and why their tax dollars are being spent. At a minimum, the Commissioners Court should – in advance – fully disclose the content, cost, responsibilities, and contingent liabilities from these agreements and provide the opportunity for public comments on matters affecting every citizen.

Any action considered by the Court should be tabled until these steps have been completed.

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We strongly endorse Don Huffines for Texas Comptroller

We strongly endorse Don Huffines for Texas Comptroller

Candidate interviews now complete, we strongly endorse @DonHuffines for Texas Comptroller.

“Limited government, spending less, producing measurable results for taxpayers” are phrases that have disappeared from the lips of 99% of Texas Republican elected officials. The 89th Legislative Session continued the unhealthy pattern of wild spending to fund government growth and corporate welfare instead of sending the surplus back to Texans.

The Governors of Arkansas and Florida keep limited government at the policy and legislative forefront. We don’t hear or see any of that in Texas. It’s just the opposite.

It’s Time to Make LIMITED Government Great Again in Texas! A limited-government Comptroller who hates corruption, has a record of rooting it out, and has sent thieves to jail is exactly what Texas needs. Don Huffines has done that.

Turned loose to “DOGE” Texas government, Huffines can and will set a course-correcting standard from the office that is charged with certifying the state budget as balanced.

Huffines will put a bright spotlight on the creative bookkeeping and accounting gimmicks that keep state spending murky. He’s got the knowhow and the guts to push Texas toward responsible spending.

Don is uniquely qualified for the office of Comptroller. He doesn’t need the job. In fact, it will cost him millions in personal earnings to take on this mission, but his honed and proven free market executive management skills, business success, and decades of focus on tax and sound money issues are desperately needed in Texas.

Don Huffines loves Texas so much that he’s stepped up to Make Limited Government Great Again in Texas. We can’t wait to see him do it. #txlege

JoAnn Fleming, Executive Director, on behalf of the Grassroots America Board of Directors