California: After being released at border, illegal truck driver causes three deaths in accident

A 21-year-old Indian immigrant, identified as Jashanpreet Singh, was arrested in California and charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated after a crash on Interstate 10 in San Bernardino County that left three people dead and several other injured.

According to federal sources cited by the media, Singh crossed the southern border in March 2022 and was released by the Biden administration under its "alternatives to detention" policy while awaiting an immigration hearing.

Preliminary investigations indicate that Singh was driving a semi-trailer truck that crashed into a traffic jam without braking, causing a fire involving several vehicles. Toxicology tests confirmed that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued an immigration detainer following his arrest, as Singh does not have legal status in the country.

A dashboard camera video captured the moment of impact, while aerial footage showed the scale of the crash and the response by emergency crews at the scene.

Criticism of Biden's immigration and transportation policies

The case has reignited debate over the immigration liberalization policies implemented in 2022, as well as over freight security.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently warned about weak enforcement of English proficiency requirements for commercial truck drivers. “California is the only state that does not ensure truck drivers can read traffic signs and communicate with law enforcement. This is a fundamental public safety problem,” he said.

The Trump administration announced last week that it will withhold more than $40 million in federal highway safety funding in California, saying the state does not meet federal English proficiency standards for commercial drivers.

Singh’s case adds to other recent incidents involving immigrant drivers without legal status. In August, another Indian truck driver, Harjinder Singh, was charged with causing a crash in Florida that also left three people dead.

Federal authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the crash on Interstate 10, while Singh is expected to appear in a California court in the coming days.

Another illegal immigrant causes death of man in Indiana after driving semi-truck without license

An undocumented immigrant, Borko Stankovic, was arrested Oct. 15 after causing a fatal crash in Indiana while driving a semi-trailer without a valid commercial license. The crash occurred when Stankovic's vehicle swerved into oncoming traffic and collided with a Subaru Crosstrek, causing the death of the driver, Jeffrey Eberly, at the scene.

Stankovic, originally from Serbia and Montenegro, has been in the U.S. illegally since February 2011, after his nonimmigrant visa expired, the Department of Homeland Security said. 

He also has a criminal record, including a previous arrest in Long Island, New York, for resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration.

After the crash, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued an immigration detainer for Stankovic at the Porter County Jail.

Undersecretary Tricia McLaughlin said:

"This senseless tragedy should never have happened, and this man should still be alive today. Stankovic has been in this country illegally since 2011 and has a history of breaking the law; yet he remained at large, engaging in dangerous conduct that ultimately resulted in Jeffrey Eberly's death. Illegal immigrants have no right to operate 18-wheelers or semi-trucks on U.S. highways."

The incident adds to a growing pattern of undocumented drivers operating commercial vehicles, posing a direct threat to highway safety, federal and state authorities said.

Stankovic’s arrest comes amid current administration efforts to strengthen road safety and restrict commercial vehicle operation by people without legal authorization.