The fatal Florida Turnpike crash that killed three people this week has not only led to vehicular homicide charges against truck driver Harjinder Singh but also sparked a heated national debate over immigration enforcement and state licensing laws.
The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) said Singh, who entered the country illegally in 2018 via the U.S.-Mexico border, was behind the wheel of a semi-truck that attempted an illegal U-turn in an “official use only” turn-around near mile marker 171 on Tuesday afternoon. The truck crossed into the path of a Chrysler Town & Country minivan, which became wedged underneath the trailer.
Two passengers – a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach and a 54-year-old man from Miami – died at the scene. The 30-year-old driver from Florida City later succumbed to his injuries at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital. Singh and his passenger, both men in their 20s from California, were unharmed.
Singh has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and is being held on an ICE detainer. Officials confirmed he had been issued a California commercial driver’s licence despite his illegal immigration status.
The case has triggered national attention, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirming that stepped-up immigration enforcement at truck stops and weigh stations is “on the table.”
Commentator Benny Johnson reported on X that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is “seriously considering” stepped-up immigration enforcement at truck stops and Department of Transportation weigh stations across the country.
Johnson criticised California’s licensing laws, claiming “three innocent people were killed in Florida because Gavin Newsom’s California DMV issued an illegal alien a commercial driver’s license.”
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at DHS, was scathing in her criticism of California’s licensing laws. “Three innocent people were killed in Florida because Gavin Newsom’s California DMV issued an illegal alien a Commercial Driver’s License—this state of governance is asinine,” McLaughlin said.
“How many more innocent people have to die before @GavinNewsom stops playing games with the safety of the American public? We pray for the victims and their families. Secretary Noem and DHS are working around the clock to protect the public and get these criminal illegal aliens out of America.”
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office had fired back, blaming federal authorities.
“Hey, genius: the federal government (TRUMP ADMIN) already confirmed that this guy meets federal and state immigration requirements – YOU issued him a work permit (EAD). As usual, the Trump Administration is either lying or clueless,” the Governor’s office tweeted.
McLaughlin later clarified Singh’s immigration record, stating his work authorization had in fact been rejected under the Trump Administration in September 2020 but was approved under the Biden Administration in June 2021. She also noted,
“The state of California issues Commercial Drivers Licenses. There is no national CDL.”
The political row underscores wider concerns in the trucking industry, where insiders say undocumented drivers are increasingly common.
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner said Singh’s reckless actions left families shattered.
“Three people lost their lives as a result of his recklessness, and countless friends and family members will experience the pain of their loss forever.”
The FHP investigation into the deadly wreck is ongoing.
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