Sikh Trucker Crash Tests Punjab Immigrants’ American Dreams

(CALIFORNIA) A deadly chain-reaction wreck on the California 10 Freeway has thrust the Jashanpreet Singh crash into the center of a national fight over immigrant labor and trucking rules, with federal officials moving to limit who can hold a commercial driver’s license and Punjabi immigrants warning their livelihoods are at risk. Authorities say on October 21, 2025, Singh, a 21-year-old Sikh trucker from Punjab employed by Sandhu Transport, slammed his semi into slow-moving traffic, setting off an eight-vehicle pile-up that killed three people and injured four more. Prosecutors allege he was under the influence of drugs. Dashcam video captured the truck barreling forward without braking, with one car erupting in flames.

Singh entered the United States 🇺🇸 in 2022 without authorization and was later released from border custody under the President Biden administration, according to law enforcement accounts cited in court filings. Federal officials have placed an immigration detainer on him. Investigators and industry watchdogs are also pressing questions about the authenticity of his commercial driver’s license (CDL), including allegations that he obtained it despite failing an English proficiency test required for safe operations on U.S. highways.

Prosecutors charged Singh with three counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and one count of driving under the influence of drugs causing injury. He has pleaded not guilty and remains held without bail. His next court date is set for November 4, 2025. The Jashanpreet Singh crash has become a rallying point for critics of federal border and licensing policies, even as Sikh advocacy groups and industry leaders urge the public not to punish an entire workforce for one horrific event.

Crash details and criminal case

Authorities say Singh’s tractor-trailer failed to slow for congested traffic on the California 10 Freeway, striking multiple vehicles. Officials report three deaths and four injuries tied to the crash. According to investigators, dashcam footage shows no attempt to brake before impact.

The video and preliminary toxicology claims have shaped the charges for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. Singh’s plea is not guilty, and a judge ordered him held without bail due to the severity of the allegations and public safety concerns.

Court records and agency statements reviewed by reporters indicate Singh’s immigration history includes an unlawful entry in 2022, subsequent release from border custody, and the current immigration detainer. The CDL questions—centered on whether he met basic language and safety standards—have drawn attention to how licensing agencies verify identity, training, and English ability for noncitizen drivers.

Policy fallout and stakes for immigrant drivers

In the weeks after the California 10 Freeway crash—and a similar fatal wreck in Florida in August 2025—federal authorities moved to restrict immigrants with temporary work permission, such as those with pending asylum cases, from obtaining or renewing CDLs.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, these changes are already shutting out many drivers who have relied on lawful work authorization to build steady careers in long-haul trucking. Sikh and Punjabi immigrants say the shift strikes hardest at their community, which has become a backbone of freight movement in California and the Midwest—keeping farms, factories, and grocery shelves supplied.

Regulators and lawmakers argue the steps are needed to protect public safety and curb fraud. Homeland Security officials and political leaders critical of current border policies have pointed to the Jashanpreet Singh crash as evidence of “reckless open border policies” and gaps in licensing oversight.

Sikh advocacy organizations counter that broad restrictions won’t make roads safer and will instead sideline thousands of law-abiding drivers who passed tests, maintain clean records, and follow the rules. VisaVerge.com reports that many Sikh truckers have Employment Authorization Documents and have complied with every requirement asked of them.

Industry experts stress that road safety depends on:
– Strong, even-handed enforcement of existing standards
– Thorough training and active carrier oversight
– Consistent drug testing and monitoring

They warn that cutting off a large segment of the workforce could:
– Worsen driver shortages
– Raise shipping costs
– Slow delivery of food, medicine, and consumer goods

Community fears and targeted fixes

Within gurdwaras and truck stops from the Inland Empire to the Central Valley, Punjabi immigrants are bracing for fallout. Many describe new worries when they pull into weigh stations or meet shippers, fearing extra checks or lost contracts.

Small carriers owned by Sikh families say customers are asking pointed questions about their drivers’ status, even when every worker is properly vetted. The stigma after the Jashanpreet Singh crash, they say, is already changing business.

Advocates emphasize that accountability for a fatal wreck must be personal and legal—not collective. They call for targeted fixes such as:
– Better CDL identity verification
– Stronger drug testing protocols
– Closer monitoring of new drivers during their first year
– Carrier reviews of dispatch practices to prevent fatigue
– Verification and auditing of training records

Trucking safety specialists add that carriers should remove drivers who fail checks and ensure first-year drivers receive extra oversight. Those steps, they argue, address real risks without sweeping bans tied to immigration categories.

Rules, resources, and the broader political debate

While federal agencies weigh next steps, state and federal rules for CDLs remain in force, including:
– English-language and medical fitness standards
– Hours-of-service limits
– Background checks

For official information, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration explains CDL requirements and safety rules on its website, which can be found here: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration – Commercial Driver’s License. That resource outlines core national standards that states apply when they test and license drivers.

Politically, the case has widened a familiar divide:
– Critics of President Biden’s border approach argue that releasing migrants pending immigration proceedings created openings for fraud and unsafe driving.
– Supporters of strict new licensing limits say the government must act first on safety.
– Sikh civil rights groups, immigrant worker organizations, and many carriers reply that most drivers in their ranks have spotless records and are essential to the economy.

They warn that blanket bans tied to temporary status will not fix the oversight failures alleged in this case and risk shutting out people who followed every rule available to them.

Human cost and what’s next

Beyond policy, there is the human cost: three families are grieving, four people are healing from injuries, and a young driver faces life-changing charges. Drivers who share the same language, faith, or immigration story say they feel both sorrow for the victims and fear that they’ll be judged not by their conduct, but by a headline.

As the November 4, 2025 court date approaches, the case will keep shaping national talk about the border, trucking safety, and who gets to hold a CDL. Whether more rule changes are coming remains to be seen. What is clear is that a single crash has become a test for how the country balances:

1. Road safety
2. Fair licensing
3. The promise that work can lead to stability

For now, Sikh and Punjabi immigrants continue to haul America’s freight while watching Washington closely, hoping policymakers can strengthen safety without closing the door on honest work.