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A Florida crash that killed three people sparked an ultimatum from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over states’ commercial driver licensing rules. But two out of the three states named by the secretary say they’re in compliance.
Duffy’s push came after an illegal immigrant from India, Harjinder Singh, allegedly struck and killed three people in a tractor-trailer while making an illegal U-turn on a Florida turnpike on Aug. 12. Singh’s current commercial driver’s license was issued in California; he previously had one in Washington state, and Duffy said there was a traffic stop in New Mexico where his rig was not taken “out of service.”
Duffy is giving the states 30 days to follow the law, or risk losing federal funding through the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program.
“We are not going to tolerate states that don’t comply with the rules that come from this department,” Duffy said at a press conference on Tuesday.
BLUE STATE INVESTIGATES HOW ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER GOT LICENSE BEFORE DEADLY FLORIDA CRASH
Harjinder Singh, 28, was arrested after allegedly making an unauthorized U-turn in Florida last week that resulted in a crash that left three people dead, officials said. (St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office)
Following the crash earlier this month, federal investigators said Singh failed English proficiency and road sign tests.
California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office maintains that they were following federal law when Singh’s license was doled out and placed the blame on the Trump administration.
“This is rich. The Trump administration approved the federal work permit for the man who killed 3 people — and now they’re scrambling to shift blame after getting caught. Sean’s nonsense announcement is as big a joke as the Trump Administration itself. SAD!” a spokesperson for Newsom’s office told Fox News Digital in a statement.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference in Washington, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin previously disputed Newsom’s timeline that says he was given a work permit under Trump.
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“False. Harjinder Singh is in the United States illegally and his work authorization was rejected under the Trump Administration on September 14, 2020. It was later approved under the Biden Administration June 9, 2021,” McLaughlin said on Aug. 18 in response to Newsom’s press office’s X account.
Michael Coleman, spokesman for Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, of New Mexico, said they are “confident” that a “full review of these incidents” will show that the state is following the law.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER ACCUSED OF KILLING THREE PEOPLE FAILED ENGLISH, ROAD SIGN TESTS: DOT
Harjinder Singh is escorted to an airplane by Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and law enforcement on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Stockton, California. (AP Photo/Benjamin Fanjoy)
“New Mexico’s top priority is the safety of its residents and visitors, and we are confident that our state laws for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) are fully compliant with federal regulations,” he said, adding that the state requires an English test to make sure drivers know road signs.
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“We are aware of recent claims regarding the enforcement of these regulations and are actively seeking more information from the relevant federal and state partners. Initial reports suggest that these claims relate to a small number of roadside incidents over a three-month period. It’s important to note that these incidents may have involved out-of-state drivers due to the cross-country nature of our trucking industry,” he continued.
The Washington Department of Licensing said last week that an investigation is underway into how Singh was able to obtain a commercial driver’s license in the state. Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office for comment on Wednesday regarding Duffy’s announcement.
“This is about keeping people safe on the road. Your families, your kids, your spouses, your loved ones, your friends,” Duffy said. “We all use the roadway, and we need to make sure that those who are driving big rigs — semis — can understand the road signs, that they’ve been well-trained.”
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