DHS: Illegal Entry Trucker Charged in California Double-Fatality Crash

Key Details A 24-year-old truck driver named Manvir Singh is facing serious charges after his Freightliner Cascadia struck multiple vehicles on Highway 99 in Lodi, California on May 19. The crash killed two young men ages 16 and 20 who were in a Kia Forte, while five others were hospitalized including two with major injuries. Singh fled the scene on foot before police apprehended him. Immigration Status U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that Singh, an Indian national, entered the U.S. illegally through Arizona in July 2023. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer after the collision. Singh faces charges including vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, hit and run resulting in death, and resisting police. Why It Matters This incident has reignited debate over CDL issuance standards. DHS officials are pushing Congress to pass Dalilah's Law, which would prohibit states from issuing commercial driver's licenses to individuals in the country illegally and codify English language proficiency requirements. The law is named after a child injured in a previous crash involving an undocumented truck driver. Industry safety advocates argue stricter vetting could prevent similar tragedies on America's highways.