Sanctuary state policies that enable illegal immigrants to obtain commercial driver’s licenses are literally costing lives, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, a Republican, told Newsmax on Tuesday.
Uthmeier spoke on “Finnerty” after a fatal collision in Florida’s St. Lucie County, allegedly caused by an illegal immigrant with a California-issued commercial license, claimed three lives.
Harjinder Singh is accused of making an illegal U-turn while driving an 18-wheeler through an “Official Use Only” access point on a Florida highway. His maneuver blocked all northbound lanes, causing a minivan to crash into his tractor-trailer, killing the driver and two passengers. Singh, a native of India, was uninjured.
Uthmeier called out states whose licensing policies regarding illegal immigrants fail to prioritize safety.
“These sanctuary states have a love affair with illegal aliens that’s killing people,” he said. “It just shows how the open border problem is affecting the entire country. The sanctuary states, they grant these rights to illegal aliens. They give them not only driver’s licenses, but these heightened licenses that allow people to drive larger commercial vehicles.
“And then ultimately, they make their way into states like Florida, engage in dangerous behavior that leads to the loss of life. So we’re certainly going to pursue every legal action to hold these sanctuary jurisdictions accountable and any agents that provided these licenses.”
Singh is being held in the St. Lucie County Jail without bond. He faces three counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations, and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer has been issued. During court proceedings, Singh reportedly was described as a substantial flight risk and unable to speak English; he required a translator. He failed a federal English proficiency test and a road-sign recognition test.
Uthmeier said Florida is stepping up enforcement at checkpoints and weigh stations, ensuring that truck drivers are lawful and English-proficient.
“Just two nights ago, we detained an illegal alien in Bay County in the Panhandle who had received one of these driver’s licenses from New Jersey,” he said. “We’ve had a couple other people pulled over at checkpoints in the last 24 hours. It’s clear this is a broad problem.”
Uthmeier applauded the Trump administration’s threat that states will lose money from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program if they don’t enforce English language requirements for truckers within 30 days.
He said Florida does not issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, let alone commercial certifications. He warned that sanctuary state policies endanger every motorist.
“American citizens that are driving on the road, their safety is in jeopardy,” he said. “Here in Florida, we’re going to do everything necessary to protect them.”
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