Central Valley Sikh truckers report spike in harassment after fatal FL crash

Central San Joaquin Valley’s Punjabi Sikh trucking community is reporting increased threats and other safety concerns since a deadly Florida crash became a central talking point in a charged national debate around immigration.

Some of that attention has come from The Trump administration as it spars with California Gov. Gavin Newsom over immigration policy. In response to the crash, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Aug. 21 an immediate freeze on foreign worker visas for commercial truck drivers.

Truck driver Harjinder Singh, 28, was arrested in Stockton on Aug. 16, suspected of causing an Aug. 12 crash that killed three people in a minivan in Florida. Dashcam footage from his truck captured what appeared to be an illegal U-turn at St. Lucie County turnpike as well as the impact, images that have since circulated widely online.

Harjinder Singh, who worked for White Hawk Carriers based in the Stanislaus County city of Ceres, was pictured in national news in a turban, a common headdress for Sikh men, who as a group make up a large percentage of truck drivers across California.

“We’re really concerned about the safety of our drivers,” said Jasdeep Pannu, CEO of Fresno-based interstate general freight carrier Orbital Express Inc. “There’s fear in the community about the misinformation, about being targeted because you wear a turban.”

Since the accident, drivers are being targeted at truck stops in states such as Oklahoma and Arkansas, according to Raman Dhillon, founder and CEO of the North American Punjabi Trucking Association. “People are throwing water bottles, eggs at their trucks,” he said.

In one instance, Dhillon said a driver called 9-11 for help during an altercation at a truck stop, and instead of the police taking down a report, they ordered the Sikh driver to leave, Dhillon said.

‘Incident is being politicized’

The political backlash to the accident has been swift and intense by Trump administration and Florida officials.

The Department of Homeland Security blasted California’s policy of issuing commercial driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, calling it “asinine.” California officials countered that Harjinder Singh obtained his license legally after receiving a federal work permit in 2021. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also has seized on the case, criticizing Singh’s demeanor after the crash as “really cold” and urging Congress to cut funding to sanctuary states.

Then, on Aug. 25, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced agricultural inspection stops would double as federal immigration checkpoints, according to a report by CBS News.

The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund in a statement that the tragedy must not be weaponized to spread bias, dangerous assumptions, or perpetuate harm to divide communities.

“We are concerned that the incident is being politicized in ways that exploit Mr. Singh’s identity or immigration status. Justice must be rooted in facts and due process, not prejudice or rhetoric,” SALDEF Executive Director Kiran Kaur Gill said.

Punjabi Sikh drivers face new fears, scrutiny in Florida and beyond

Punjabi Sikhs, whose roots are in the northern Indian state of Punjab, make up an estimated 18% to 20% of the trucking business nationwide, and about 30 to 40% in California, according to Dhillon.

On California’s Highway 99, the north-south highway that stretches across the Central Valley, it’s common to see trucks adorned with Sikh gurus, prayers and the Khanda — a symbol that features curved swords that symbolizes the Sikh commitment to spiritual growth and society.

Punjabi Sikh community advocates, trucking professionals and industry representatives say viral social media posts and xenophobic rhetoric have already negatively impacted the Central Valley’s trucking industry and nation’s agricultural supply chain.

“It’s definitely affecting us,” said Gurjant Singh, president of the Fresno-based Newline Transport Inc. His business of 20 trucks and 60 trailers transports Valley citrus, peaches, tomatoes, lettuce and other items to Publix Supermarket chain, a popular Florida-based grocer.

He’s working to reorganize his company operations after two of his drivers quit Monday and three others said they “don’t want to go anywhere near Florida.” Even his employees that are citizens and green card holders are nervous about driving to Florida, given the anti-immigrant climate and increased scrutiny, he said.

Pannu, 39, of Orbital Express, said in an interview that he’s had to revamp security protocols for his 35 drivers and 26 trucks since the Florida crash turned into a national story. His drivers frequently travel to the southeastern states of Florida, Tennessee, Georgia and the Carolinas.

He has instructed drivers to ensure they’re driving in compliance with all regulations, stay within reach of the dashcam and that they avoid getting into arguments.

“Our community’s being targeted,” he said.

Since the accident, one of Pannu’s drivers was pulled over by two officers in Florida that questioned his immigration status. The officers didn’t find anything wrong and since the driver was a U.S. citizen, “they had to let him go,” he said.

“It’s extra harassment just based on the identity of the driver,” he said.

There’s no doubt, Pannu said, that Harjinder Singh made a “huge mistake” and should be held accountable. But the whole community shouldn’t be targeted based on one person’s actions, he said.

“All we’re asking is there should be a fair transparent trial, not a political spectacle,” Pannu said. “And that’s that’s what you’re seeing since this happened.”

Focus on strengthening industry standards, reps say

Dhillon, Pannu and Gurjant Singh all agree there are many ways to improve industry standards, safety and regulatory oversight.

They suggested several reforms, such as stricter requirements to secure a commercial driver’s license and more oversight and regulation of truck driver schools to avoid accidents like this from happening again.

Dhillon said there should be a requirement that somebody has a driver’s license for a minimum of three years before they can apply for a commercial driver’s license. “Some people don’t even know how to drive a car and they get a license for the truck,” he said.

As for the pause on visas, Dhillon said he doesn’t think it will have a big impact on the industry, calling it “another political drama.” Only about 1,500 H-2B visas have been issued to foreign truck drivers this fiscal year, according to an Associated Press report. By comparison there are 3.5 million commercial truck drivers nation wide, the report said.

Gurjant Singh said there needs to be more government oversight of truck driving schools as well as a streamlined curriculum. Schools vary widely in cost and quality. There also needs to be more required training before someone can obtain a license to haul 80,000-pound trucks, he said.

“It’s crazy how those schools are promoting their business online,” he said. “You will see videos online saying, ‘we’ll get we’ll help you get a license in one week.’”

But what isn’t helpful, Gurjant Singh said, is all the blame being thrown around. Instead, the country should come together to put pressure on the government to make the roads safer through stricter standards, oversight and enforcement.

“In my Sikh religion, our guru’s teaching is with any issue, any clash...pointing fingers never works,” Gurjant Singh said. He explained the Sikh concept of Gurmata, which means people sit together, put their heads together, to discuss the situation, understand its root cause and find solutions on how it can be avoided in the future.

“That’s the only way to overcome situations like this,” he said.

This story was originally published September 4, 2025 at 5:30 AM.