Biden Released Him, California Licensed Him—Now Two Are DEAD

Close-up of hands gripping a steering wheel inside a vehicle

California’s sanctuary state policies have enabled illegal immigrants to obtain commercial driver’s licenses despite federal warnings, resulting in a preventable tragedy that claimed the lives of newlyweds and exposed systemic failures that have left over 17,000 improperly licensed drivers on American roads.

Story Highlights

Illegal immigrant truck driver Rajinder Kumar allegedly killed California newlyweds William Carter and Jennifer Lower after obtaining a CDL from Newsom’s California despite federal prohibitions
Federal audit revealed California illegally issued one in four non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses, forcing revocation of over 17,000 licenses
Biden administration released Kumar after illegal border crossing in 2022 and granted work authorization enabling California CDL issuance
Trump administration’s Transportation Secretary mandates California halt CDL program while Florida AG pursues criminal and civil action against Newsom’s policies

Federal Failures Enable State-Level Catastrophe

Rajinder Kumar entered the United States illegally near Lukeville, Arizona, in November 2022. The Biden administration released him into the interior and subsequently granted work authorization in 2023. California’s Department of Motor Vehicles then issued Kumar a commercial driver’s license, despite his illegal immigration status. On November 24, Kumar allegedly jackknifed his big rig on an Oregon highway, killing newlyweds William Carter and Jennifer Lower. Kumar now faces charges of criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment. This tragedy represents a preventable failure at multiple levels of government, undermining public safety and the rule of law.

Systemic Problems Exposed Through Federal Audit

Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy’s September 2025 audit uncovered disturbing failures in California’s CDL program. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that California illegally issued non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses to individuals who should never have qualified. One in four sampled licenses violated federal regulations. The FMCSA issued emergency rules restricting such licenses and explicitly warned California about noncompliance. Despite these warnings, California continued issuing CDLs to illegal immigrants and asylum seekers, including a restricted license to 20-year-old Jashanpreet Singh on June 27, 2025. The federal government gave California 30 days to audit, pause issuance, and revoke noncompliant licenses.

17,000 Licenses Revoked as Additional Cases Emerge

California’s reckless licensing practices extend beyond the Carter-Lower tragedy. In a separate Florida case, an illegal immigrant truck driver who obtained a California CDL despite failing English proficiency tests killed three people in an illegal U-turn crash. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced criminal and civil investigations, stating authorities caught California “red-handed” and are suing both the state and Governor Newsom personally. Following exposure of widespread fraud and safety violations, California revoked over 17,000 improperly issued commercial driver’s licenses. These revocations create immediate disruptions in the trucking industry but address long-overdue safety concerns that state officials ignored while prioritizing sanctuary policies over public protection.

Political Accountability and Interstate Consequences

Governor Newsom’s response deflected responsibility to the federal government rather than acknowledging California’s policy failures. Transportation Secretary Duffy characterized California’s program as “dangerously broken” after his department warned state officials explicitly about violations. The political dimensions are clear: California’s sanctuary state policies directly enabled individuals with no legal right to be in the country to operate massive commercial vehicles across state lines. Florida’s aggressive legal action demonstrates how one state’s lax enforcement creates dangers for citizens nationwide. This case exemplifies the broader tension between state and federal authority, where California’s defiance of immigration law and transportation safety regulations has deadly consequences for innocent Americans simply traveling on public roads.

The fundamental issue transcends partisan politics and strikes at government accountability. Citizens across the political spectrum expect their elected officials to prioritize public safety over ideology. California’s willingness to issue commercial driver’s licenses to individuals who entered the country illegally, while simultaneously ignoring federal safety warnings, represents a failure to protect the very people government exists to serve. William Carter and Jennifer Lower’s deaths illustrate the human cost when bureaucratic priorities supersede common-sense safety measures. Whether one supports stricter immigration enforcement or comprehensive reform, few Americans believe states should arm illegal immigrants with credentials to operate 80,000-pound vehicles on highways where families travel daily.