Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has moved to take California and Washington before the U.S. Supreme Court, accusing both states of violating federal law with “sanctuary” policies that allowed an undocumented truck driver to obtain commercial licenses — and later cause a fatal crash in Florida.
Uthmeier revealed the legal challenge during an appearance on Fox News’ Hannity, blaming Governor Gavin Newsom for pushing sanctuary laws that “endanger American citizens for the sake of political virtue.”
“We’re taking Gavin Newsom to the Supreme Court to hold him accountable for the carnage his sanctuary policies have caused,” Uthmeier said. “Florida can do everything right, but we still suffer when liberal states hand out licenses to people who aren’t even supposed to be here.”
The Tragic Case That Sparked the Lawsuit
The case stems from an August 12 accident in St. Lucie County, when Harjinder Singh, an undocumented immigrant from India, made an illegal U-turn in his 18-wheeler — killing three Haitian immigrants traveling in another vehicle.
Investigators found Singh had failed an English proficiency test but was still granted a commercial driver’s license in both California and Washington. After the crash, Singh fled to California, where U.S. Marshals later arrested him. He was extradited to Florida by Lt. Gov. Jay Collins.
A Supreme Challenge to ‘Sanctuary States’
In his 30-page complaint, Uthmeier is asking the high court to bypass lower courts and hear Florida’s case directly. The lawsuit accuses California and Washington of “open defiance” of federal immigration law by:
- Blocking agencies from checking immigration status during commercial license applications.
- Issuing licenses to noncitizens ineligible under federal standards.
- Creating public safety risks through what Uthmeier calls “reckless sanctuary policies.”
Florida is seeking:
- Federal preemption of those state laws.
- A permanent injunction banning noncitizen licensing.
- Reimbursement for Florida’s legal costs.
Federal Pressure Mounts
Just hours before Uthmeier filed his case, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it would withhold $40 million in funding from California for violating English-language proficiency requirements in its commercial driver program.
Uthmeier’s communications director, Jeremy Redfern, said the timing was purely coincidental but underscored how federal agencies are now aligning with Florida’s concerns.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has intensified his administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigration — including a new mandate requiring English fluency for all commercial truck drivers.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also announced a temporary freeze on visas for foreign-born truck drivers, citing the “urgent need to restore accountability and safety” on U.S. roads.
A Test Case for the Nation
If the Supreme Court agrees to hear Uthmeier’s complaint, the case could set a national precedent on whether states can enforce sanctuary policies that conflict with federal immigration law.
Florida leaders argue the answer should be clear.
“When Washington and California choose ideology over safety,” said Lt. Gov. Collins, “other states — and innocent families — pay the price.”
