The Biden administration is facing scrutiny after officials confirmed that a truck driver accused of killing three people in Florida received a work permit in 2021 despite being denied under former President Donald Trump. The crash has reignited political debate over immigration enforcement and state licensing laws.
The Deadly Crash
Authorities said Harjinder Singh, who entered the United States illegally in 2018, was behind the wheel of a commercial truck on the Florida Turnpike in Fort Pierce. Singh allegedly attempted a U-turn in an unauthorized area, causing his trailer to jackknife and collide with a minivan. All three passengers in the minivan were killed instantly, according to law enforcement reports.
Singh was arrested Saturday in Stockton, California, and charged with three counts of vehicular homicide. He is being held on both state charges and federal immigration violations.
Immigration Dispute
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin confirmed Monday that Singh’s work authorization was rejected under the Trump administration on September 14, 2020. However, it was later approved under the Biden administration on June 9, 2021. She emphasized that the federal government does not issue commercial driver’s licenses, which are handled by states.
“False. Harjinder Singh is in the United States illegally and his work authorization was rejected under the Trump Administration,” McLaughlin said in a statement posted on X. “It was later approved under the Biden Administration June 9, 2021. The state of California issues Commercial Drivers Licenses. There is no national CDL.”
California’s Role Questioned
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office pushed back, arguing that federal officials approved Singh’s work authorization. “As usual, the Trump Administration is either lying or clueless,” Newsom’s press office wrote on X. Singh had obtained his commercial driver’s license in California despite being in the U.S. illegally.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem placed blame on California for issuing Singh a license. “Three innocent people were killed in Florida because Gavin Newsom’s California DMV issued an illegal alien a Commercial Driver’s License,” she wrote on X. “This gut-wrenching tragedy should have never happened.”
Political Fallout
The crash has amplified criticism of so-called “sanctuary” policies in California and sparked calls for stronger federal oversight of state licensing systems. The Department of Homeland Security said it will work with the U.S. Department of Transportation to prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining commercial driving privileges in the future.
The case underscores the intersection of immigration policy, state authority, and public safety, raising questions about how such tragedies can be prevented. For now, Singh remains in custody as families of the victims mourn their loss and politicians clash over responsibility.
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