Florida Attorney General Initiates Legal Action Against California and Washington Over 'Sanctuary' Policies Following Fatal U-Turn Collision

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) In a significant legal move, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has initiated a federal lawsuit targeting the “sanctuary” policies of California and Washington. Uthmeier argues that these policies have jeopardized public safety.

This legal action follows the arrest of 28-year-old Harjinder Singh, a California-based truck driver. Singh allegedly caused the deaths of three individuals after executing an improper U-turn on the Florida Turnpike in St. Lucie County.

The incident has intensified the debate around immigration policies, as authorities revealed that Singh, who is facing three vehicular homicide charges, entered the U.S. illegally in 2018 and subsequently obtained a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) in California.

Uthmeier’s lawsuit contends that both California and Washington have neglected their responsibilities under the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act, which mandates that CDL applicants must provide proof of citizenship. He claims this oversight has compromised national safety standards.

Uthmeier claims the 2017 California Values Act, in specific, violates this requirement by prohibiting law enforcement agencies and the DMV from inquiring into a person’s immigration status. Washington adopted a similar act in 2019.

The attorney general said these “sanctuary laws,” as he refers to them, have created problems beyond California and Washington. The lawsuit cites various cases in other states, including the August crash in St. Lucie County.

According to the lawsuit, Singh answered two of 12 questions correctly on an English proficiency test and correctly identified one of four traffic signs. The suit also states that Singh failed 13 examinations before being issued a CDL in Washington. He obtained a CDL in California the following year.

“All of this was preventable,” Uthmeier wrote in the lawsuit. “Under current federal law, this driver should have never received a license from any State to operate a commercial motor vehicle.”