Unauthorized Migrant Charged in Florida Truck Crash That Killed Three, Faces Deportation

A truck driver who entered the US illegally in 2018 is facing homicide charges and deportation after allegedly causing a crash that killed three people in Florida.

The Details: According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Harjinder Singh, an unauthorized immigrant from India, was arrested on August 12 after allegedly attempting to turn his tractor-trailer through an “unauthorized location” on the Florida Turnpike, causing a collision. The US Department of Transportation tested Singh afterwards, and found he failed an English proficiency exam and a road sign test required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), answering only 2 of 12 verbal questions correctly and identifying just 1 of 4 traffic signs.

Immigration and Work Status: Singh reportedly entered the US illegally in September 2018, and was processed for expedited removal. He was released on bond after expressing fear of returning to India. He later obtained a commercial driver’s license in California and Washington state. California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said Singh obtained work authorization in 2020 under the first Trump administration, however Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for Homeland Security, said the government denied Singh a permit in September 2020 and granted him one in June 2021, under President Joe Biden.

From The Left: Outlets on the left largely omitted Singh’s failure to pass the English fluency and road sign tests. The Miami Herald (Lean Left bias) didn’t explicitly say Singh was an unauthorized immigrant, but noted the case had become “a flashpoint in immigration and licensing debates.” Its coverage focused on Singh's court trial. USA Today (Lean Left) highlighted the traded blame between McLaughlin and Newsom over when Singh gained work authorization. 

From The Right: The New York Post (Lean Right) emphasized Singh’s immigration status, and ability to obtain a commercial license despite lacking English proficiency. It quoted Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who said “Non-enforcement and radical immigration policies have turned the trucking industry into a lawless frontier.”

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