A deadly California freeway crash involving a suspected illegal immigrant truck driver has resulted in three deaths, with dashcam footage showing the vehicle plowing through traffic. The incident, which unfolded on a busy stretch of the freeway, has sparked a national debate over immigration policy and federal oversight of commercial licenses. Federal officials had previously warned California about commercial driver’s license compliance issues, but the driver, Jashanpreet Singh, had a restriction removed just days before the incident.
The video, obtained through the Department of Transportation’s official release, shows the truck Singh is accused of driving rear-ending a row of cars caught in traffic before flames burst out from under the hood, and it veers to the right, crashing into more vehicles and what appear to be utility trucks before coming to a stop near the shoulder. The footage, released by the Biden administration, has drawn attention to the dangers of unregulated commercial licensing for non-citizens, particularly in the context of border policy and enforcement.
Federal officials had warned California about compliance issues with commercial licenses, including pausing the issuance of new licenses to non-citizens and reviewing existing licenses to ensure they followed the rules. However, Singh, 21, received a California commercial driver’s license in June, but the DOT said he should have been disqualified under an emergency policy. Officials say Singh was under the influence of drugs when the crash occurred, and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blamed California for the tragedy.
California’s governor’s office countered, blaming the federal government for allowing the license to be issued. ICE has filed a detainer request and described Singh as an illegal alien from India, citing a disturbing trend of illegal immigrants driving semi-trucks on American roads. Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, criticized the state’s open border policies, stating that such incidents followed a disturbing trend and cited another fatal accident in Indiana, also involving an illegal immigrant driver. The incident has reignited debates over immigration policy and the regulation of commercial transportation licenses in the U.S.