Illegal Immigrant Truck Driver Charged After Fatal California Crash
Claudia Cowan reported on a tragic semi-truck accident in Lodi, California, which led to charges against Manveer Singh, an illegal immigrant, for vehicular manslaughter. Interestingly, the Department of Homeland Security revealed that Singh was arrested and released at the Arizona border earlier in 2023. In response to this incident, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and federal officials are advocating for Delilah’s Law, aimed at prohibiting commercial driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants.
In a separate incident, an illegal immigrant truck driver has been implicated in the death of a Pennsylvania State Police trooper. This trooper, Michael E. Pahila Jr., had just returned home to assist his mother during her cancer treatment. The accident is part of a troubling pattern involving fatal crashes with noncitizen commercial truck drivers, leading to stringent regulations under the Trump administration regarding commercial driver’s licenses.
Pahila, aged 44, was conducting an inspection of a commercial vehicle on Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County when another semi-truck veered off course, striking him and the vehicle he was inspecting. Unfortunately, both trucks ignited in flames following the collision, and Pahila succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital.
The driver responsible for the crash has been identified as Michael Bong, a 33-year-old Haitian from Brockton, Massachusetts. Bong has been charged with vehicular homicide, manslaughter, reckless driving, among other misdemeanors, and is currently in the Schuylkill County Jail with bail set at $700,000. A court hearing is set for July 15.
The Department of Homeland Security has also initiated an immigration case against Bong, reflecting broader concerns about undocumented individuals operating commercial vehicles.
In an earlier case, Vonn entered the U.S. via Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in July 2024 under a humanitarian program by the Biden administration. Although she applied for temporary protected status, her application was rejected, and DHS later revoked her parole, yet she stayed in the country.
Vonn obtained a commercial driver’s license in March 2025, despite lacking a permanent address, and was eligible for a license at that time due to federal regulations. Notably, the criteria for such licenses were altered the following year, just before Trump’s administration redirected states to stop issuing licenses to those who didn’t comply with federal mandates.
Pahila’s passing has prompted higher officials like Secretary Duffy to prioritize strengthening commercial driving license regulations after multiple fatal incidents linked to non-citizen CDL holders over the last couple of years.
Last year, Duffy also initiated a national review of states granting commercial driver’s licenses without permanent addresses due to several deadly accidents, including incidents in Wyoming, Florida, and California. In his State of the Union address, Trump highlighted that at least 17 fatal crashes involving illegal immigrants driving commercial trucks resulted in 30 fatalities in 2025 alone.
Furthermore, the Department of Transportation has warned that it might withhold federal funds from states that grant licenses to ineligible drivers. In April, over $73 million was withheld from New York State due to its failure to revoke licenses from disqualified drivers. Duffy emphasized the objective is to ensure that only qualified and vetted drivers operate commercial vehicles.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed his condolences and described Pahila as “one of the best among us,” noting that the trooper had returned to care for his mother during her treatment. Shapiro reflected on his interactions with Pahila’s family, mentioning his dedication and the special bond he shared with his mother.
