Federal immigration authorities have issued a blistering condemnation of Washington state’s “sanctuary” policies following the release of a commercial truck driver involved in a fatal freeway collision earlier this month.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) allege that local officials refused to honor a federal detainer for Kamalpreet Singh, an Indian national who entered the country illegally in 2023.
Federal officials say Singh was responsible for the December 11 crash that claimed the life of 29-year-old Robert Pearson.
READ: “Choose Your Own Adventure”: Judge Denies Asylum To Beaten Sikh Man In Singh vs. Bondi
According to local reports cited by DHS, the incident occurred when Singh failed to decelerate while driving on a Washington freeway. His semi-truck struck the rear of a vehicle, pushing it into a third car. The impact caused the vehicle directly hit by Singh to burst into flames; Pearson, the driver, died at the scene. The wreckage blocked the roadway for nearly seven hours.
Despite the severity of the crash and an active ICE detainer, Singh was released from local custody back into the community, a move federal agents attribute to state laws restricting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
“These demented and dangerous sanctuary policies have deadly consequences,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement. “Robert Pearson would still be alive today if the Biden administration hadn’t released this illegal alien into our country. How many more Americans have to be killed before Democrat politicians start to put the public’s safety ahead of politics?”
Officials stated that Singh originally crossed into the U.S. illegally near Lukeville, Arizona, in 2023 and was subsequently released into the interior of the country.
ICE officials are pointing to the tragedy as part of a “disturbing pattern” of roadway incidents involving foreign nationals driving commercial vehicles without legal status. The agency highlighted several recent cases across the West Coast and Florida:
- Lacey, Washington: Earlier this month, local authorities reportedly released Juan Hernandez-Santos, a Mexican national, despite an ICE detainer. He is accused of causing a six-car pileup involving a school bus while driving an 18-wheeler on December 4.
- Deschutes County, Oregon: In November, ICE lodged a detainer for Rajinder Kumar, charged with criminally negligent homicide after a semi-truck crash that killed two people.
- California: In October, Jashanpreet Singh was accused of killing three people while driving an 18-wheeler under the influence. In August, Partap Singh was arrested after causing a multi-car crash that left a 5-year-old child with critical injuries.
- Florida: Also in August, Harjinder Singh was arrested on three counts of vehicular homicide involving a semi-truck.
READ: Three Haitian Immigrants From Indiana Identified In Florida Fatal Trucker U-Turn Crash
DHS maintains that refusal to honor detainers in these cases directly threatens public safety, allowing individuals flagged for deportation to remain on American roads. Washington state officials have not yet issued a response to the specific allegations regarding Singh’s release.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
