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FLORIDA - Florida officials announced Monday that all agricultural truck inspection stations will now also function as federal immigration checkpoints following a fatal crash on the Florida Turnpike that killed three people.
The expansion is aimed at preventing undocumented drivers from operating commercial vehicles in the state.
Attorney General James Uthmeier said the crash highlighted the risks posed by drivers in the U.S. illegally.
Uthmeier said he is urging the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to revoke commercial driver’s license program authority from California and Washington, which issued licenses to the driver involved.
The truck driver, Harjinder Singh, allegedly made an illegal U-turn on the Turnpike that resulted in three fatalities.
Singh was extradited from California to Florida and denied bond.
He faces three counts of vehicular homicide and immigration-related charges and is held in St. Lucie County Jail under an ICE hold.
Federal reports indicate Singh failed an English proficiency test and a traffic sign evaluation before receiving commercial driver’s licenses in Washington in 2023 and California in 2024.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Wilton Simpson said all 23 agricultural inspection stations, which normally prevent unsafe agricultural products from entering the state, will now also check for fraudulent documents and immigration compliance.
All FDACS officers are certified under ICE’s 287(g) program, allowing them to collaborate with federal authorities to identify drivers in the country illegally.
The Attorney General’s office said it is pursuing legal action to ensure Singh serves a prison sentence before deportation.
Officials said the expansion of agricultural checkpoints is intended to enhance enforcement and prevent similar tragedies.