Florida Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds has introduced legislation requiring commercial truck drivers to demonstrate English proficiency, following a deadly crash in Florida involving an illegal migrant, as reported by Fox News.
On August 12, 2025, Harjinder Singh, an illegal migrant from India, jackknifed his tractor trailer, causing a crash that left three people dead.
The truck driver who made an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike that led to the passing of 3 Americans, illegally entered the U.S. through the southern border in 2018.
Harjinder Singh has been charged with three counts of vehicular homic*de.
Singh got his Commercial Driver’s… pic.twitter.com/FGZVHDWMGs
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 17, 2025
Singh, who had obtained a commercial driver’s license in California and previously in Washington state, was later tested by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for his English language abilities.
During the test, Singh correctly identified just one of four road signs and answered only two of twelve English comprehension questions.
Singh remains in custody in Florida without bond and faces three counts of vehicular homicide.
Under existing federal law, commercial driver’s license applicants must be able to:
“read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records.”
However, enforcement of that requirement has been inconsistent.
🚨 WTF?! Harjinder Singh, the illegal truck driver who KlLLED three people when pulling an illegal U-turn was pulled over in New Mexico in July…
AND COULDN’T EVEN SPEAK TO THE OFFICER.
Whoever gave this guy a license to drive big rigs needs to be in JAIL! pic.twitter.com/7eAZizWTVe
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 28, 2025
On August 28, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Transportation (DOT) to begin stricter enforcement of the English proficiency mandate.
The order stated the requirement “has not been enforced in years, and America’s roadways have become less safe.”
Rep. Donalds’ proposed bill, called the Weigh station Enforcement to Intercept and Guard Highways (WEIGH) Act, seeks to codify Trump’s order into law.
The measure would allow DOT officials to check English proficiency at weigh stations along federal highways and verify commercial driver’s licenses for compliance.
“The failure of states to enforce basic and commonsense requirements for truckers is putting every American motorist at risk,” Donalds told Fox News Digital.
He added that while Florida leaders like Governor Ron DeSantis and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson have taken steps to address the issue, nationwide enforcement is needed.
“Under my ‘WEIGH Act,’ all weigh stations along interstate highways will be required to enforce President Trump’s Executive Order to review commercial driver licenses for irregularities and verify the English language proficiency of truckers,” Donalds said.
“Safety must be the standard, not the exception, and on Capitol Hill I’m fighting to ensure that the American people are put first every step of the way.”
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson also voiced support, telling Fox News Digital, “If you can’t read our signs, you shouldn’t be on our roads.”
He added, “If you drive a truck through our interdiction stations, you’re prepared for us to check your load for bugs and drugs. Since [Trump] took office, we have helped take nearly 150 illegal immigrants off our streets — including murderers and child predators.”
Under state and federal laws, most commercial trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds or transporting hazardous materials are already required to stop at weigh stations.
The proposed legislation would expand those stops into a point of enforcement for English-language requirements as well.
