Noem Critiques Sanctuary States Over Undocumented Driver Licenses
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has expressed concern regarding sanctuary states, claiming they permit undocumented immigrants to acquire commercial driver’s licenses. She fears that untrained individuals are turning large trucks into “weapons.”
Noem specifically referenced California Governor Gavin Newsom in light of a tragic incident on October 21, where an illegal immigrant truck driver was involved in a crash that resulted in three fatalities.
“He’s issuing driver’s licenses to undocumented individuals, some of whom, quite frankly, remain unidentified,” Noem remarked during an appearance on “American Report.”
She mentioned discovering a license labeled “name not specified” that was used to secure a commercial driver’s license.
“Governor Newsom must realize that prioritizing safety should be his foremost concern,” she emphasized.
Both Noem and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy accused Newsom’s administration of allowing immigrants to illegitimately obtain commercial permits.
This renewed investigation comes after a multi-vehicle accident in Southern California, where Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old from India, allegedly drove a semi-truck intoxicated, leading to the three deaths.
“We are dedicated to investigating the circumstances around how these dangerous individuals are allowed to operate 18-wheelers,” she added.
In response, Newsom’s office stated that California’s laws regarding commercial driver’s licenses are in line with federal guidelines, arguing that federal policies ultimately facilitated the suspect’s licensing, thus placing responsibility for the crash on the federal government.
“What often gets overlooked in this immigration discourse is that California drivers with CDLs are involved in fatal accidents at a significantly lower rate than the national average,” a spokesperson for Newsom pointed out previously.
“If we genuinely care about safety, California ought to be seen as a model rather than a target,” Noem responded.
She further highlighted that ongoing DHS immigration enforcement initiatives have led to the apprehension of numerous illegal immigrant truck drivers.
“Operation Midway Blitz has successfully removed over 140 undocumented truck drivers in Indiana. The dedicated teams at ICE and the Indiana State Police are working non-stop to eliminate criminal illegal aliens from our neighborhoods and roads,” Noem stated on social media.
