Indian man whose U-turn killed 3 in Florida staying in US 'illegally': Trump govt

Florida authorities on Monday said that Harjinder Singh entered the US illegally from Mexico in 2018.

Updated on: Aug 19, 2025, 09:29:35 IST

By HT News Desk

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An Indian truck driver, who has been accused of making an illegal turn in Florida and killing three persons, was staying illegally, the US Department of Homeland Security said on Monday. The issue also led to a verbal tussle between the Trump administration and California Governor Gavin Newsom's office over immigration.

Singh has been charged with three state counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations. (X)

The truck driver named Harjinder Singh made the illegal turn from the northbound lanes of Florida’s Turnpike about 50 miles (80 kilometres) north of West Palm Beach, last Tuesday, reported news agency AFP, citing Florida Highway Patrol. A minivan was unable to avoid the truck’s trailer, which was blocking the northbound lanes.

Florida authorities said Singh entered the US illegally from Mexico in 2018. However, most of Singh’s immigration history was not clear, including details about his citizenship and whether he obtained legal status.

Also read: Who is Harjinder Singh, the driver involved in the fatal Florida truck crash that left 3 dead?

Further revealing details about Singh, Homeland Security stated that he obtained a commercial driver's license in California, along with the District of Columbia, which issues licenses regardless of immigration status, according to the National Immigration Law Centre.

Supporters of such policies say driver's license acts as a lifeline for people to work, visit doctors, and pick up children from school, visit doctor.

Talking about issuing an illegal license, Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for Homeland Security, said, “issuing a commercial license to someone in the country illegally is asinine."

Gavin Newsom’s office, which has been in a heated debate over congressional redistricting, responded on the X platform that Singh obtained a work permit while Donald Trump was president.

Also read: Trucker whose U-turn killed 3 cited threat to life threat in India to stay in US: Report

McLaughlin refuted that, saying that the government denied him a permit during Trump's first term in September 2020 and granted him one in June 2021, under President Joe Biden.

Singh has been charged with three state counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations. The federal government has called for transferring him to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody after his criminal case is complete. Singh was making a U-turn in an area marked for “official use only,” the highway patrol said.

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HT News Desk
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