100,000 Sikh truckers in America in hot seat after twin crashes draw scrutiny

TOI correspondent from Washington: More than 100,000 immigrant truckers from India are in the hot seat in America after a sweeping US federal audit conducted amid twin fatal crash investigations involving Sikh drivers showed widespread malpractice in issuance of commercial driving licenses (CDLs)

The US Department of Transportation (DOT), through its Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), recently announced findings from a nationwide audit revealing that several states issued CDLs to non-qualified applicants, including undocumented immigrants, in contravention of federal standards on legal status and English proficiency.

Among the worst-flagged states: California. The audit found that as many as 25 % or more of “non-domiciled” CDLs issued in California were improperly granted—‌including licenses valid months after a driver’s authorized stay in the US had expired.

Although the audit’s publicly disclosed numbers do not precisely tally all immigrant truckers of Indian origin, two high-profile fatal crashes in California and Florida involving truck drivers later identified as undocumented immigrants from India have become flashpoints in the regulatory crackdown.

In Florida, the Harjinder Singh case has drawn particular attention. Singh, described by Florida authorities as an “illegal alien truck driver” charged with killing three people in a crash in August, is now under investigation by the Florida Attorney General’s Office.

Investigators say that in just two months between March 10 2023 and May 5 2023, Singh failed his CDL test ten times in the state of Washington. Additionally, he twice failed an air-brakes knowledge test, and the Washington company that provided his behind-the-wheel training attested he could speak English proficiently — a claim Florida prosecutors say is false.

The case has pitted Republican- governed Florida against Democrat-run California and Washington state. Florida AG’s office has sued the two states in the Supreme Court asking the Court to stop them from issuing CDLs to illegal immigrants and accusing them of failing to comply with federal safety and immigration-status requirements when issuing CDLs.

The Trump administration has also lashed out at California and Washington, backed by pressure from vociferous MAGA activists, invoking familiar tirades about immigrants taking away American jobs even though industry reports point to a shortage of truck drivers in America.

“Licenses to operate a massive, 80,000-pound truck are being issued to dangerous foreign drivers – often times illegally. This is a direct threat to the safety of every family on the road…” US transportation secretary Sean Duffy said, calling the issue of non-domiciled CDLs a “national emergency.” Canada too has joined in tightening issuance of CDLs to immigrants.

For many immigrant truckers from India, the developments feel alarming. On one hand, thousands of Indian-origin drivers—many working legitimately, often in vulnerable employment situations—now face potential license revocations or employment loss. On the other hand, a wave of heightened scrutiny threatens to stoke xenophobic attitudes in the trucking industry and beyond. Local TV stations in Florida have also conducted sting operations purportedly showing immigrant trucker applicants fudging English proficiency tests with devices through which they are fed answers from outside.

Advocates warn that the narrative — “undocumented immigrant trucker causes fatal crash” — can easily fuel discrimination against Indian truckers generally, regardless of their legal status or safety record. Immigrant truckers of Indian-origin say they are already facing suspicion at truck stops, more frequent stops by law enforcement, and a sense of being “guilty by association.”

In a rather forlorn social media post, the more educated Sikh driving cohort sought to counter the stereotypes. “Yes, we speak English. Yes, we understand the laws, the roads, the rules. We came here the right way — legally.

We respect this land, its people, and its values. But sometimes, when we stop at a rest area or fuel station, we feel the looks — the doubt, the distance. We’re judged not by our hearts or our work, but by the mistakes of a few. That hurts… because we’re part of the same road, the same dream,” the post read.