By Maribel Velazquez
The Supreme Court rejected this Tuesday Florida’s attempt to sue California and Washington for allegedly granting commercial licenses to immigrant truckers who are illegally in the United States and do not speak English.
The case arose after a fatal accident occurred in 2025 on a highway in Florida, where Harjinder Singh, a driver originally from India who had entered the United States from Mexico, was involved. According to state and federal investigations, Singh allegedly could not see traffic signs and faces criminal charges, although he has pleaded not guilty.
According to information collected by APthe same old Florida prosecutor, James Uthmeier accused California and Washington of ignoring federal safety regulations by allowing certain drivers to obtain commercial licenses.
California and Washington reject accusations
Authorities in both states denied Florida’s claims and They defended their immigration verification processes and English testing.
The same old California prosecutor, Rob Bonta, assured that the Department of Motor Vehicles verifies the presence simply through federal databases and Requires proof of English language proficiency before issuing business licenses.
“Florida’s claims are based on erroneous assumptions about the law and California practice,” Bonta said in court.
Washington also called the lawsuit a “political maneuver” and stated that its exams meet federal standards.
Immigration debate reaches commercial transportation
The case reflects how the Immigration debate continues to expand towards labor issues and road safety in the country.
The administration of Donald Trump has hardened his stance regarding immigrant truckerss and commercial licenses. In April 2025, Trump signed an executive order to strengthen the requirement that commercial drivers read and speak English fluently.
Although the Supreme Court rejected the lawsuit, the judges Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito said they would have allowed the case to move forward.
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