California’s โPunjabi Truckers Report Increased Harassment Following Florida Incident
A recent fatal truck accident inโ Florida has sparked a wave of reported harassment โtargeting Punjabi truck drivers with California commercial driver’s licenses, impacting a vital sector of the trucking industry. Drivers and advocacy groups areโข reporting increased โscrutiny, fear, โandโ even resignations consequently.
The situation is occurring during a period โฃalready challenging for trucking businesses. Baldev Khang, Director of Finance and โOperations atโข Cargo Solutions Express in Fontana, โฃCalifornia, described it as “the โtoughest period in decades,” citing a general slowdown due to tariffs, โspecifically a 50% tariff on Indian imports, and now, the targeting of drivers based on their licensing state.
Khang reported that three of his Sikh drivers were arrested in recent weeks, and five Punjabi drivers resigned this week alone, all โขpossessing valid โCalifornia-issued work permits. These drivers expressed fear of harassmentโ after hearingโ reports of individuals with California โpaperwork being targeted in Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida. Cargo Solutions express operates 1,000 trucksโ delivering freight for major companies like Walmart and Amazon. Khang also noted โขthat โขhis Somaliโข and Mexican drivers are avoiding routes in certain โฃstates.
The increased scrutiny follows a fatal accident inโข Florida where โฃthe driver, Harjinder โขSingh, was identified. The Trump administration โคafterward stated that Singh failed anโ englishโ proficiency test following the incident. Presidentโฃ Trump issuedโฃ an executive order โคrequiring commercial truck drivers to demonstrate proficient English language skills, citing the need to understand traffic signs and โขcommunicate with law enforcement. Following the crash, Florida’s Secretary of State Marco rubio โfroze foreign worker visas for commercial truck drivers.
The situation has prompted communityโ responses. Theโค North America Punjabiโฃ Trucking Assn., with 2,500โฃ members, has begun โคoffering English classes for truck drivers in Stockton, California, spearheaded by CEO Raman Dhillon. Dhillon alsoโค criticized the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), alleging flaws in the Commercial Driver’s Licence (CDL) testingโ system and lenient enforcementโข at driving schools, leading to licenses being issued too readily to work-permitโ holders.
Dhillon further condemned โคrhetoric from Florida politicians, including Lt. โคGov. Jay Collins, whoโค referred to Harjinder Singh as a “thug,” arguing it unfairly โscapegoated the Sikhโข community. Reports have surfaced of harassment at truck stops, including instances where a Sikh driver, after being harassed, was asked to leave by responding police officers. Incidents โof trucks being vandalized withโ thrown water bottles and eggsโ have also โbeen reported.
The โSikh Coalition โคhasโฃ received โขnumerousโข calls for assistance from Sikh truckers since the Florida incident, including requests for language resources.Harmanโฃ Singh, a representative of the organization, โคemphasized the need forโ road safety โmeasures while simultaneously advocating against profiling of Sikh and Punjabi โขdrivers basedโ on their โappearance or perceived English proficiency due โขto their visible โarticles โคof faith.