Millions Sign Petition Advocating for Illegal Alien Truck Driver Facing Homicide Charges

A petition requesting leniency for Harjinder Singh, the 28-year-old illegal alien truck driver accused in a deadly Florida crash, has quickly gained traction. 

By Monday afternoon, the Change.org petition had garnered nearly 2.8 million signatures, urging Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and the Florida Board of Executive Clemency to reconsider Singh’s sentence. 

Singh faces six felony charges—three counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of manslaughter—after a collision on Aug. 12 on the Florida Turnpike in Fort Pierce. 

Authorities said Singh attempted an illegal U-turn in his semi-truck, causing the trailer to jackknife and strike a minivan, resulting in the deaths of all three occupants. 

Last week, Resist the Mainstream reported that DeSantis announced state authorities would take custody of Singh. 

Highlighting the dangers posed by unqualified drivers, the governor said, “Extradite him back to the state of Florida, and we’re gonna throw the book at him when he gets back here for what he did.” 

Officials noted that Singh had failed federally required English proficiency tests, answering only two of twelve verbal questions correctly and identifying just one of four highway traffic signs. 

Despite this, he still obtained commercial driver’s licenses.

The petition, organized by Manisha Kaushal and signed by “Collective Punjabi youth,” emphasizes that the crash was accidental. 

“This was a tragic accident — not a deliberate act,” it reads. 

The petition calls for a “proportionate and reasonable” sentence, suggests alternatives to incarceration such as counseling or community service, and requests parole eligibility after part of the sentence is served. 

Authorities reported that Singh fled to California with a passenger, Harneet Singh, the day after the crash. 

U.S. Marshals arrested him on Aug. 16 in Stockton, California, and extradited him back to Florida. 

On Saturday, a Florida judge denied bond, citing Singh as an unauthorized alien and a significant flight risk. St. Lucie County Judge Lauren Sweet found probable cause for all six charges and classified them as forcible felonies under state law, according to Fox News.

Singh’s relatives in Punjab, India, appealed for mercy, citing the potential impact a long sentence would have on his family. 

“His age is 28 years, and if he gets 45 years of jail, then you can imagine what will be the condition of his family,” relative Dilbagh Singh told the Times of India. 

If convicted, Singh could face up to 45 years in prison. 

Singh entered the U.S. illegally in 2018 and received commercial driver’s licenses in Washington State and California. 

In July 2023, Washington issued Singh a full-term commercial driver’s license, while California provided him with a limited-term license for non-residents. 

His 2020 application for work authorization was denied under the Trump administration, according to Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security assistant secretary for public affairs. 

The Department of Homeland Security labeled Singh a “significant threat to public safety,” and his immigration case was still unresolved at the time of the crash. 

Following the incident, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a freeze on work visas for foreign commercial truck drivers, saying they were “endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” The Daily Caller reports.

Indian lawmaker Harsimrat Kaur Badal criticized the policy, warning that broad action against drivers could harm families and be discriminatory. 

The case has drawn national attention, with petitions, official statements and family appeals shaping public discussion on immigration and road safety in the U.S. 

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