Fourth trucker caught in ICE dragnet after fatal crash

A fatal crash in Oregon has drawn ICE into the case, marking the fourth time this year the agency has slapped an arrest detainer on a truck driver – a tool rarely used in trucking enforcement.

The agency issued that fourth detainer on Dec. 1, a week after a deadly crash in Oregon. Arrest detainers are used to make sure an inmate wanted on charges in multiple jurisdictions, who is in the custody of one jurisdiction, is held long enough for additional jurisdictions to take custody of the inmate.

On Nov. 24, Kumar Rajinder jackknifed his tractor-trailer and was blocking both lanes of U.S. Highway 20 in Deschutes County, Ore., about 50 miles from Bend, Ore. A Subaru Outback collided with a tractor-trailer. Both the driver and passenger – William Cater and Jennifer Lower – died on the scene.

According to KTVZ21, Lower’s father reached out to the television station and said the pair met on a blind date in April 2024 and were married 16 days before the crash.

According to an ICE news release, Rajinder, 32, of Fresno, Calif, entered the U.S. illegally near Lukeville, Ariz., on Nov. 28, 2022, and was released into the country by the previous administration. Rajinder was issued a commercial driver’s license to work as a truck driver in California and was granted work authorization in 2023.

Following the crash, Rajinder was arrested on two counts of criminally negligent homicide and one count of reckless endangerment. He was assisted during his arraignment by a Hindi interpreter.

The judge granted a $100,000 bond and ordered Rajinder to surrender his passport, as well as a few other housekeeping conditions, including staying in contact with his probation officer.

Currently, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office still lists Rajinder as in custody. It’s noted that his status is “bailed” on a “10% bail” of $100,000 – but he’s still in custody.

KTV21 noted two oddities in the case that will be cleared up in a Dec. 2 arraignment. First, there is some question whether Rajinder name is listed correctly on the various crash, arrest and ICE documents. Oregon court records show his name as Kumar Rajinder, not Rajinder Kumar as noted in other documents.

The second wrinkle in the very new case is that Rajinder cannot be released on his 10% bond because his passport is not available.

Other arrest detainers

In August, ICE lodged an arrest detainer for another criminal undocumented immigrant – Harjinder Singh – following his arrest for three counts of vehicular homicide while driving a semi-truck in Florida.

In August, ICE arrested Partap Singh, a criminal undocumented immigrant from India, who caused a multi-car pileup while driving a commercial 18-wheeler in the sanctuary state of California. The accident left 5-year-old Dalilah Coleman with critical, life-altering injuries.

In October, ICE lodged an arrest detainer for a criminal illegal alien – Jashanpreet Singh – who killed three people in California while driving an 18-wheeler under the influence.

Sanctuary cities, states in play

The attention on English-language proficiency requirements for truck drivers, along with the recent proliferation of non-domiciled CDLs to foreign nationals, would inevitably lead to so-called “sanctuary” cities and states.

The term “sanctuary” lacks a standard or legal definition, according to the American Immigration Council.

“Sanctuary policies are based on the idea that the federal government cannot compel jurisdictions to take part in immigration enforcement,” according to the group’s website.

California, Washington, and now Oregon are widely known as sanctuary states.

In October, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier went on the offensive. He contends that “sanctuary” laws in California and Washington have led to unqualified individuals receiving CDLs and operating in other states.

Uthmeier filed a complaint with the U.S. Supreme Court following a high-profile, truck-involved crash in which three people died.

Florida’s complaint to the Supreme Court, issued on Thursday, Oct. 16, says that the open defiance of federal immigration laws exhibited by California and Washington is well-documented and has led to “mayhem” in other states.

“State and federal investigations quickly revealed that (Harjinder Singh) does not speak English,” Florida wrote in the complaint. “He was able to answer only two of 12 questions correctly on an English-proficiency test and identify only one of four traffic signals. Under current federal law, this driver should have never received a license from any state to operate a commercial motor vehicle.

“But California and Washington nevertheless licensed him. Washington improperly issued this illegal immigrant a CDL in 2023, after 13 failed examinations. California issued him a non-domiciled CDL the following year.”

Feds attack on another front

Money. It’s the one enforcement “carrot” the federal government has to get states to enforce federal laws – like CDL licensing.

As a direct attack on the money front, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy kicked things off with threats to withhold funding from the states of California, Washington and New Mexico. Added to the list for a variety of claimed grievances are Pennsylvania, Colorado, South Dakota and Texas. LL