Truck driver accused by the Trump administration of being in the US illegally is denied bond

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A truck driver accused of making an illegal U-turn that killed three people in Florida last week was denied bond Saturday.

The crash sparked a clash between U.S. Department of Homeland Security and California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom over Harjinder Singh, a native of India, obtaining a work permit and driver’s license in the state. The Trump administration says Singh was in the U.S. illegally.

Singh was charged with three state counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations, and he was denied bond on all charges. He is being held in the St. Lucie County Jail, Lt. Andrew Bolonka from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has put a hold on him.

Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said issuing a commercial license to someone in the country illegally is “asinine.” California is one of 19 states, in addition to the District of Columbia, that issues licenses regardless of immigration status. Supporters say that lets people work, visit doctors and travel safely.

Newsom’s press office responded on platform X that Singh obtained a work permit while Donald Trump was president, which McLaughlin disputed.

Florida authorities said Singh entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2018.

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis dispatched Lt. Gov. Jay Collins to California to escort Singh onto an airplane Thursday.

Singh made the illegal turn on the highway about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of West Palm Beach, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. A minivan in the neighboring lane was unable to avoid the truck’s trailer and slammed into it, killing the minivan’s driver and two passengers.

Singh and a passenger in his truck were not injured.