The Washington State Department of Licensing is investigating how an illegal immigrant, Harjinder Singh, obtained a commercial driver’s license that led to a deadly crash in Florida, killing three people. The tragedy has reignited debates over state licensing loopholes and immigration enforcement, as questions arise about how a noncitizen without legal status could have secured a commercial driver’s license.
Singh, who entered the U.S. illegally in 2018, was denied work authorization in 2020 by the Trump administration but was later granted it under the Biden administration. Despite his illegal status, he managed to get a commercial driver’s license in California in 2023, which is against the law there, according to the Department of Transportation. This is further complicated by the fact that he was issued a license in Washington, a state that restricts such licenses to U.S. citizens or green card holders.
Details of the crash reveal that Singh allegedly made a prohibited U-turn on the Florida Turnpike, causing his truck to collide with a minivan. Federal investigators found he failed an English proficiency test and a road sign assessment. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has not commented on the license issuance, but California Governor Gavin Newsom’s press office engaged in a heated exchange with Department of Homeland Security official Tricia McLaughlin over the process.
The case has also sparked broader concerns about illegal immigrants obtaining standard driver’s licenses, with allegations from a Kentucky whistleblower about underground schemes to acquire licenses. Experts like Lora Ries from The Heritage Foundation note that states are not supposed to issue CDLs to those without legal status, but the Trump and Biden administrations’ differing policies on work authorization have created a loophole, allowing Singh to exploit it.
Harjinder Singh’s case highlights the complexities of federal and state immigration policies and the potential consequences of administrative inconsistencies. While the Trump administration denied his work authorization in 2020, the Biden administration later approved it, creating a situation where Singh could legally obtain a license under certain state laws. This raises questions about the effectiveness of current immigration enforcement mechanisms and the adequacy of licensing procedures to prevent such incidents.
The broader implications of this case extend beyond individual accountability, touching on the systemic challenges of balancing immigration regulations with state-level administrative processes. As the investigation continues, policymakers and legal experts may need to address the gaps in current enforcement strategies to prevent similar incidents in the future.