Congressman’s own truckers have been involved in deadly crashes as he vows to make roads safer

Georgia Congressman Mike Collins Pushes Anti-Immigrant CDL Ban While His Own Trucking Fleet Faces Deadly Crash Scrutiny

By Irina Volkov, Global1.news Published: May 17, 2026

In the latest twist of American electoral politics, Georgia Congressman Mike Collins is barnstorming the state on a Senate campaign pledge to "make America's roads safer" by stripping commercial driver's licenses from noncitizens. Yet a ProPublica investigation released just yesterday reveals that drivers tied to Collins' own family trucking business have been involved in multiple fatal crashes—raising fresh questions about selective outrage and political expediency.

Collins, who spent decades operating the family firm before entering Congress in 2023, has made transportation policy a centerpiece of his Senate bid. In recent campaign stops across rural Georgia, he has repeatedly claimed that undocumented immigrants behind the wheel of big rigs are a primary threat to highway safety. His proposed fix: federal legislation to revoke CDLs from anyone lacking U.S. citizenship.

A Family Business Under the Microscope

Records obtained by ProPublica show that between 2018 and 2025, at least four crashes involving trucks registered to Collins-owned entities resulted in fatalities. One 2022 incident near Macon left a family of three dead after a Collins truck allegedly crossed the median. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data cited in the report flags the company for hours-of-service violations and inadequate driver training in the years leading up to the wreck.

Collins has dismissed the findings as "media hit pieces," insisting his company maintains an exemplary safety record compared with industry averages. But safety advocates point to a pattern of regulatory lapses that his political rhetoric conveniently ignores.

"Collins built his brand on trucking," said one former company driver who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Now he's using the same industry to stoke fear about immigrants while his own operation cut corners on maintenance and rest periods."

Policy Proposal Versus Lived Reality

The congressman's signature proposal would bar noncitizens—even those holding valid work visas or green cards, from obtaining or renewing CDLs. Supporters argue the measure would reduce accidents by ensuring stricter vetting. Critics, including trucking associations and immigrant-rights groups, call it a thinly veiled attempt to shrink the labor pool in an industry already facing severe driver shortages.

Data from the American Trucking Associations indicates foreign-born drivers currently make up roughly 15 percent of the long-haul workforce. Removing them, experts warn, could spike shipping costs and worsen supply-chain bottlenecks already strained by post-pandemic recovery.

Meanwhile, the ProPublica report highlights that Collins' own fleet continued operating trucks with out-of-service violations even after fatal crashes. In one case, a driver cited for fatigue was back on the road within weeks.

Political Calculations in a Tight Senate Race

With the Georgia Senate contest shaping up as one of the most expensive of the 2026 cycle, Collins has leaned heavily into culture-war messaging. His campaign ads feature dramatic footage of highway wrecks juxtaposed with images of border crossings. The message is clear: safety equals citizenship.

Yet accountability remains elusive. When pressed at a recent town hall about his company's safety record, Collins pivoted to attacks on the Biden-era Department of Transportation, claiming federal regulators target small businesses while ignoring larger safety threats.

Investigative reporters have so far been unable to obtain internal company documents detailing disciplinary actions against drivers involved in the fatal incidents. Collins' campaign declined multiple interview requests for this story.

Broader Implications for Road Safety

Road-safety experts emphasize that fatigue, vehicle maintenance, and hours-of-service compliance, not driver nationality, are the leading contributors to commercial-truck fatalities. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics show that in 2025, truck-involved fatalities rose 3 percent year-over-year, driven largely by speeding and distracted driving across all demographics.

By focusing exclusively on immigration status, Collins' proposal sidesteps tougher but less politically convenient reforms such as mandatory electronic logging device enforcement and increased funding for rest areas.

Holding Power to Account

As an investigative journalist based in Moscow, I have covered corruption across continents. The pattern here is familiar: a politician weaponizing a real public concern, highway deaths, to advance a partisan agenda while shielding his own record from scrutiny. Voters deserve transparency, not selective statistics.

Whether Collins' Senate campaign survives this revelation will depend on whether Georgia voters prioritize rhetoric over results. For now, the families of crash victims are left waiting for answers that a campaign trail soundbite cannot provide.

This is Irina Volkov for Global1.news.

Source: ProPublica via YouTube — 2026-05-16T13:21:16+00:00.