Post by : Rameen Ariff

The Biden administration has expressed disapproval towards California for granting a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old undocumented Indian immigrant linked to a tragic accident that claimed three lives in San Bernardino County. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt branded this event as part of a "concerning trend" where "criminal illegal aliens" operate heavy vehicles without satisfying federal requirements.

Singh, who entered the US illegally in 2022 through the southern border and subsequently released under the previous administration, faces charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has initiated an investigation to understand how California permitted the issuance of his CDL.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized California’s lapses in enforcing necessary English-language skills testing for commercial drivers, warning that non-compliance may lead the state to lose over $40 million in federal highway safety funding. Duffy described California’s disregard for federal safety protocols as "shocking."

The deadly incident transpired when Singh, intoxicated, crashed his big rig into slow-moving vehicles on the I-10 Freeway, resulting in a massive fire explosion. This event follows a similar crash in Florida involving an undocumented Indian immigrant with a California-issued CDL.

In light of this, the Trump administration is supporting the SAFE Drivers Act, which proposes to eliminate foreign-language tests for truck drivers and restrict undocumented immigrants from obtaining CDLs, aiming to enhance national road safety.

California’s governor defended the state’s stance, asserting that federal authorities had repeatedly approved and renewed Singh’s federal employment authorization, thus allowing him to legitimately obtain a license. Nonetheless, the federal government is insisting on stricter measures to thwart such incidents in the future.

This case has reignited discussions revolving around federal and state compliance in commercial driver licensing and immigration policies.

#Global