Trump administration says driver in Florida crash was in US illegally

Truck Driver in Fatal Florida U-Turn Accident Found to be in U.S. Illegally

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security revealed on Monday that Harjinder Singh, the truck driver involved in a tragic accident that claimed the lives of three individuals in Fort Pierce, Florida, was in the country illegally. The incident has sparked a debate over immigration policies, particularly in light of Singh’s immigration status.

Last Tuesday, Singh made an illegal U-turn from the northbound lanes of Florida’s Turnpike, leading to a collision with a minivan that resulted in the deaths of two passengers at the scene and the driver later at a hospital. Singh and a passenger in his truck escaped unharmed.

Details of Singh’s immigration history remain unclear, but Florida authorities stated that he entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2018. Despite his immigration status, Singh was able to obtain a commercial driver’s license in California, a state that issues licenses regardless of immigration status.

The National Immigration Law Center reports that California is one of 19 states, along with the District of Columbia, that allow individuals to obtain driver’s licenses regardless of their immigration status. Proponents argue that such policies enable individuals to work, attend to daily responsibilities, and travel safely.

Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin criticized the issuance of a commercial license to someone in the country illegally as “asinine.” The debate over immigration policies intensified when Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office claimed that Singh had obtained a work permit while Donald Trump was in office, a statement disputed by McLaughlin.

Singh faces charges of three state counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations. The federal government has requested his transfer to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody upon the conclusion of his criminal case.

The tragic accident occurred when Singh attempted a U-turn in an area designated for “official use only,” as reported by the highway patrol. Video footage of the crash was obtained by Breaking911.

As of now, Singh is not listed in the St. Lucie County Jail, and public records do not provide a contact number or address for him.