Rantz: Washington gave illegal immigrant trucker CDL tied to deadly Florida crash, according to DOT

The deadly Florida truck crash that claimed three innocent lives has sparked a federal investigation, and Washington state is at the center of the scandal. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the probe into both the driver and White Hawk Carrier, blasting states for ignoring clear federal rules that could have prevented the tragedy.

“This crash was a preventable tragedy directly caused by reckless decisions and compounded by despicable failures. Non-enforcement and radical immigration policies have turned the trucking industry into a lawless frontier, resulting in unqualified foreign drivers improperly acquiring licenses to operate 40-ton vehicles,” said Duffy in a statement. “We will use every tool at our disposal to hold these states and bad actors accountable. President Trump and I will restore safety to our roads. The families of the deceased deserve justice.”

According to Fox News, Harjinder Singh entered the United States illegally. In 2020, his work authorization was rejected under the Trump administration, but then approved under the Biden administration. And then Washington state comes into play.

‘This cannot happen again’

At issue is that, Duffy says, Washington improperly issued Singh a full-term Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Federal law prohibits asylum seekers or illegal aliens from obtaining one. Yet Washington’s Department of Licensing handed it out anyway, placing an unqualified driver behind the wheel of a 40-ton truck, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“This cannot happen again,” Duffy said on X. “States MUST FOLLOW THE RULES. If they had, this driver would NEVER have been behind the wheel and three precious lives would still be with us.”

The failures didn’t stop with Washington. New Mexico skipped an English Language Proficiency test after pulling Singh over for speeding — a test he likely would have failed. California’s licensing process is also under investigation.

Duffy, echoing concerns from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), tied the systemic breakdown to radical immigration policies and non-enforcement. “The trucking industry has become a lawless frontier, resulting in unqualified foreign drivers improperly acquiring licenses,” he warned.

In response, the Trump administration is requiring all commercial drivers to demonstrate English proficiency and launching a full-scale audit of state licensing practices.

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