Overview

• Officials say Harjinder Singh, 28, attempted an unauthorized U-turn with a semi on the Florida Turnpike on Aug. 12, and a minivan crashed into the trailer, killing three people.
• Singh was arrested in California, extradited to Florida, and denied bond after a judge found probable cause on six counts and labeled him a substantial flight risk; DHS placed immigration holds calling him a public‑safety threat.
• A Change.org campaign led by “Collective Punjabi youth” has drawn more than 2.7 million signatures urging clemency from Gov. Ron DeSantis, while counter-petitions and online rhetoric have turned increasingly hostile, including xenophobic attacks.
• Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins said there will be “absolutely no leniency,” stressing Singh’s lack of English proficiency and flight risk as the state prepares to prosecute.
• Federal actions include a pause on some work visas for foreign truck drivers and ongoing DOT/FMCSA reviews of CDL issuance and English testing, with investigators reporting Singh failed a post-crash English assessment; officials also dispute whether he previously had valid work authorization and how he obtained CDLs in California and Washington.