Fears among California's Punjabi truckers

Indian drivers report harassment after a recent crash in Florida left three people dead.

- BY NILESH CHRISTOPHER

IRFAN KHAN Los Angeles Times. SUKHWINDER Singh Sidhu, right, a truck driver and co-founder of Sikhs for Justice, in Stockton in 2023.

For 15 years, Sumit Singh has hauled freight to and from Los Angeles ports and across the country.

For the first time, though, the Punjabi Sikh truck driver is now reluctant to leave the state. Three of his colleagues have been detained by immigration officers, and new trucking horror stories pop up in his WhatsApp group chat every day.

"Lots of drivers are scared right now," Singh said.

Punjabi drivers say they are being harassed after the arrest of Harjinder Singh, 28, an Indian-born truck driver who allegedly made an illegal U-turn, causing an accident that killed three people in Florida.

The incident sparked online vitriol against the Sikh community and turned into a political shouting match about illegal immigration and the qualifications and international of testing truck drivers.

The Department of Homeland Security is blaming Californiabecause the driver accused of causing the accident obtained his commercial driver's license and work permit in the state.

According to Homeland Security, Harjinder Singh had obtained commercial driver's licenses in Washington and California, despite failing an English fluency test. The U.S. Marshals Service said he entered the U.S. illegally through Mexico in 2018.

"Just because of one person, all the community shouldn't be penalized," Sumit Singh said. "Drivers don't feel comfortable going on the road."

He said he is hearing that Punjabis are now targeted for impromptu English proficiency tests at highway checkpoints and weigh stations.

Most Sikhs are from the northern state of Punjab in India. Many sport turbans, which are often brightly colored and tied to cover their uncut hair. Their turbans and beards are important symbols of their faith and culture.