GOP Rep. Cites 2 Sikh Drivers, Introduces Bill To Bar Licenses For Undocumented Drivers

India-West Staff Reporter

WASHINGTON, DC – Citing two high-profile incidents involving Sikh drivers, Congressman Van Drew (R-NJ) has introduced legislation to bar states from issuing commercial driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. The No Commercial Driver’s Licenses for Illegals Act would require states to comply with federal rules or risk losing all federal transportation funding.

Van Drew announced the bill on November 14, arguing that allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain CDLs endangers motorists nationwide. He said states that act as sanctuaries are “handing out CDLs to illegal immigrants who should not be behind the wheel of tractor-trailers,” adding that the vehicles require extensive training and English proficiency to operate safely.

In a statement he specifically pointed to two deadly crashes in 2025: In August, Harjinder Singh caused a crash that killed three people in Florida after attempting an illegal U-turn in an “Official Use Only” zone. Singh had failed the CDL knowledge exam ten times in Washington State but was still issued a license and later obtained another in California. In October, Jashanpreet Singh crashed his semi-truck into slow-moving traffic in California while under the influence of drugs, killing three people and injuring at least four others.

Van Drew said such cases demonstrate the national consequences of state-level licensing decisions, noting that commercial trucks “travel across the country every day” and that “the rest of America ends up paying the price” when states disregard federal requirements.