The Trump administration is threatening to withdraw federal funding from three states if they don’t strengthen English proficiency regulations for truck drivers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Tuesday that federal funds for California, Washington, and New Mexico could be withheld if these Democratic-led states don’t start enforcing the required English skills for commercial drivers. They have 30 days to align with these requirements before the federal funds associated with motor carrier safety assistance programs are frozen.
This announcement comes in response to an ongoing investigation into a deadly highway crash in Florida earlier this month, which was allegedly caused by a truck driver lacking basic English skills and understanding of road signs.
Duffy remarked, “States can’t pick and choose which federal safety regulations to enforce. The tragic Florida accident, which took three lives, illustrates the dangers of failing to uphold these laws.”
He further emphasized that actions are being taken to close safety gaps and ensure all drivers are properly qualified.
In a related case, Harjinder Singh, an undocumented immigrant from India who obtained his commercial driver’s license in California, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter after the truck he was driving caused a fatal accident by making an illegal maneuver on a Florida highway, resulting in the deaths of all three occupants in another vehicle.
Harneet Singh, Harjinder’s brother and passenger in the truck at the time, was arrested as well; he too entered the U.S. illegally. Investigators found that Harjinder had a limited grasp of English and American road signs, raising questions about how he acquired his commercial driver’s license.
According to a federal Motor Carrier Safety Agency investigation, all three states had not adequately enforced driving regulations related to English proficiency. They received notifications indicating that failing to comply with these standards would result in losing significant federal funding.
Duffy highlighted that Singh had been issued a commercial driver’s license in Washington and had a prior speeding incident in July, emphasizing that English proficiency issues were overlooked by law enforcement across these states.
The White House has underscored the necessity for improved English standards among truck drivers, as evidenced by a Presidential Order issued in April. Duffy signed an order in May geared toward clarifying these new English standards for commercial drivers.
In light of the accident, a considerable segment of the Indian community has rallied in support of Singh. A petition on Change.org advocating for leniency for him has garnered over three million signatures, predominantly from the Indian and Punjabi communities. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, an Indian MP, has publicly called for support for Singh’s defense in the legal proceedings.
