Punjabi Sikh truckers face rising harassment, scrutiny after deadly Florida crash
Many drivers avoid interstate travel due to increased immigration checks after an accident involving an Indian trucker killed three people
For 15 years, Sumit Singh has hauled freight to and from Los Angeles ports and across the United States.
For the first time, though, the Punjabi Sikh truck driver is now reluctant to leave the state. Three of his colleagues have been detained by immigration officers, and new trucking horror stories pop up in his WhatsApp group chat every day.
“Lots of drivers are scared right now,” Singh said.
The incident sparked online vitriol against the Sikh community and turned into a political shouting match about illegal immigration and the qualifications and testing of international truck drivers.
The Department of Homeland Security is blaming California, as the driver accused of causing the accident obtained his commercial driving licence and work permit in the state.
According to the DHS, Harjinder Singh had obtained commercial driver’s licences in Washington and California, despite failing an English fluency test. The US Marshals Service said he entered the US illegally through Mexico in 2018.