Washington state’s sanctuary policies have allowed an illegal alien truck driver from India, who caused a crash that killed another driver and set his car ablaze, back out on the roads.
Kamalpreet Singh is the latest in a series of illegal alien semi-truck drivers involved in disturbing crashes on America’s highways. On Dec. 11, Singh failed to slow down on a freeway in Washington state, resulting in a multi-car pileup that instantly killed the driver inside and caused his car to catch fire.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security criticized Washington’s politicians for releasing Singh and ignoring the detainer, or additional 48-hour hold, from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“These demented and dangerous sanctuary policies have deadly consequences,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
Singh is facing charges of vehicular homicide for the collision that claimed the life of 29-year-old Robert Pearson. Singh entered the U.S. in 2023 near Lukeville, Ariz., and was released into the country by the Biden administration.
Tragedy in Auburn, WA: the consequences of sanctuary states that harbor and abet illegals: The illegal immigrant, Kamalpreet Singh, was nevertheless issued a license by CA. Robert Pearson, the victim, leaves behind his wife Jess and two sons. https://t.co/XpD5HaPuu1 pic.twitter.com/tCWfhqmkrX
— Family Policy Institute of Washington (@FPIW) December 17, 2025
“Robert Pearson would still be alive today if the Biden administration hadn’t released this illegal alien into our country,” McLaughlin added. “How many more Americans have to be killed before Democrat politicians start to put the public’s safety ahead of politics?”
According to local reports, Singh failed to decelerate and crashed his Freightliner truck into the back of a 2010 Mazda 3 sedan driven by Pearson on a freeway in Washington state.
Singh’s semi struck the rear of the Mazda and, due to the force of the collision, crushed Pearson’s sedan between Singh’s truck and a 2016 Peterbilt truck that had stopped ahead.
The Freightliner slammed into the back of the Mazda with such force that it pushed it under the rear of the Peterbilt, according to police reports.
In the past 2 wks, Indio agents arrested 30 illegal aliens driving semis with commercial driver’s licenses. CDLs were issued by CA (22), IN, MD, MN, NJ, NY, PA, & WA.
The Premier Sector leads the USBP in CDL apprehensions—we enforce our immigration laws to ensure public safety. pic.twitter.com/NRPwnHljxr
— U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector (@USBPChiefELC) December 10, 2025
Authorities said Pearson was killed instantly in the fiery crash, which sparked a fire in the Mazda’s engine compartment. Two vehicles were totaled, and one was left with major damage. The roadway was blocked for nearly 7 hours following the crash.
Instead of honoring the ICE arrest detainer, the state’s sanctuary politicians chose to release Singh back onto America’s roads. Singh was released from the King County Jail last week on a $100,000 bond, Fox News Digital reported.
The Alma Mater taking it to illegal alien truck drivers!! Well done Indio Station Agents at the Premier Sector. 30 illegal alien truck drivers in 2 weeks – very impressive. #premiersector #USBP #truchacoyote 🇺🇸 🇺🇲 https://t.co/LmTHbxkkqQ
— Commander Op At Large CA Gregory K. Bovino (@CMDROpAtLargeCA) December 11, 2025
The problem of illegal immigrants driving 18-wheelers on America’s highways — and causing fatal crashes — has sparked tougher restrictions for non-domicile commercial driver’s licenses and sent shockwaves through the trucking industry.
In many cases, the semi-truck drivers struggled to speak English or failed tests regarding road signs and other highway regulations.
The crashes have prompted ICE enforcement operations across the country. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino highlighted a recent blitz by U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector, which serves Southern California in the Imperial Valley.
“The Alma Mater taking it to illegal alien truck drivers!!,” Bovino wrote on social media. “Well done Indio Station Agents at the Premier Sector. 30 illegal alien truck drivers in 2 weeks — very impressive.”
The El Centro Sector also shared details of those arrests, along with some of the drivers’ photos. The CDLs were issued by several states, including 22 in California, plus Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington.
“The Premier Sector leads the USBP in CDL apprehensions—we enforce our immigration laws to ensure public safety,” El Centro Sector shared on social media.
In another viral video, a trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety also made a startling discovery when he found 23 illegal immigrants hiding inside a semi-truck cab.
The driver, John David Amaya, 24, of Laredo, was arrested by a DPS trooper during an Operation Lone Star traffic stop in La Salle County, Texas, on Nov. 28.
The trooper stopped a white Freightliner semi-truck without a trailer for driving on an improved shoulder along IH-35. Amaya was operating the vehicle without a commercial driver’s license. With help from a Border Patrol K-9, authorities found the men crammed in the cab behind a curtain.
Amaya was arrested and charged with 23 counts smuggling of persons — a state jail felony. The 23 illegal immigrants from Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico were referred to Border Patrol, according to a DPS news release.
In a news release on the Dec. 11 fatality in Washington state, DHS recapped other recent crashes involving illegal semi-truck drivers that highlight an alarming trend.
Earlier this month, ICE lodged a detainer for Juan Hernandez-Santos, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico who was driving an 18-wheeler that slammed into another vehicle. The collision caused a six-car pileup, including with a school bus, on the morning of Dec. 4, in Lacey, Washington. Local authorities did not honor the ICE detainer due to sanctuary policies, and he was subsequently released from custody.
In November, ICE lodged an arrest detainer for Rajinder Kumar, a criminal illegal alien from India charged with criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangering after he killed two people in Deschutes County, Oregon, while driving a semi-truck.
In August, ICE lodged an arrest detainer for a Harjinder Singh, a criminal illegal alien from India, following his arrest for three counts of vehicular homicide while driving a semi-truck in Florida.
In August, ICE arrested Partap Singh, a criminal illegal alien from India, who caused a multi-car pileup while driving a commercial 18-wheeler in the sanctuary state of California. The accident left 5-year-old Dalilah Coleman with critical, life-altering injuries.
In October, ICE lodged an arrest detainer for Jashanpreet Singh, a criminal illegal alien from India, who killed three people in California while driving an 18-wheeler under the influence.
