Newly released bodycam footage shows illegal immigrant truck driver Harjinder Singh struggling with English during a July 3 traffic stop in New Mexico — a detail that has become central in the debate over his role in a Florida crash that killed three people.
The video captures Singh being pulled over by a New Mexico State Police trooper for allegedly driving 60 mph in a 45-mph zone. Singh appears remorseful as he accepts the ticket, but the exchange later turns difficult when the officer struggles to understand his broken English.
“What’s that?” the trooper asks, before telling Singh, “I’m sorry, I guess I don’t understand what you’re saying.” Singh responds, “Maybe in this, this my ticket, on my license, how many years?” The officer then explains the citation would likely remain on his record for five to seven years.
Singh’s lack of English proficiency has become a flashpoint since federal regulators revealed he failed a Department of Transportation (DOT) English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessment after the fatal crash in Fort Pierce, Florida. He reportedly answered just two of twelve questions correctly and identified only one of four road signs. Critics are now questioning how he was able to operate a commercial truck at all.
The DOT said officers nationwide were required to conduct language checks during roadside inspections as of June 25. Singh, however, was not tested for proficiency during the July 3 stop. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had earlier warned, “A driver who can’t understand English will not drive a commercial vehicle in this country. Period.”
New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler pushed back on suggestions that his agency failed to follow the new guidelines. He said federal officials issued broad rules without a standardized process, leaving state agencies to create their own compliance procedures.
“When State Police sought clarification, the response received was simply, ‘You know when somebody doesn’t speak English,’” Weisler explained. He emphasized that New Mexico developed training and kept federal regulators informed prior to the Florida crash.
Weisler also insisted the July 3 encounter would not have triggered a test: “As the video of the traffic stop demonstrates, there were no communication issues between Mr. Singh and the officer. Therefore, there would have been no reason to initiate an ELP assessment.”
Singh, 28, was arrested after allegedly making an illegal U-turn in Florida that caused a multi-vehicle collision and three deaths. Authorities say he entered the U.S. illegally in 2018, and his licensing history is now under investigation.
According to the DOT, Singh obtained a full-term commercial driver’s license in Washington in 2023, despite laws prohibiting illegal immigrants from doing so. He was later issued a limited-term, non-domiciled CDL in California in 2024, raising further questions about whether federal regulations were properly followed.
Singh has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and extradited to Florida to face prosecution.
Illegals should not get any drivers license as they are not citizens of this Country, never mind a commercial license! Now more people have been killed due to this negligence..
There is no justice, if the cops arrest them the judge releases them.!
Make Orwell fiction again!
The officer said he “felt bad” about giving him a ticket. This is what we’re dealing wth. Stupid people in places of power.
New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler doing doing some fancy foot work there. I’m surprised he didn’t blame it all on Trump.
Only the officer was speaking English.
of course NM makes excuses why it failed to implement the law. but if NM wants you, they will dot every i and cross every T to put you away. the people of NM are tired of lies and excuses. tired of failure. but im wrong. the people of NM are going to vote for more failure and lies every election. hopeless here.
The guy speaks ok English, I know when folks get flustered and they have a harder time with English. It also seems that the officer did not have a clue about the law. I would think the family could sue the state of NM as well as california for damages not that it would ever replace the family. The driver seems nice enough but ignorance is not a reason for not punishing for the killing of three people. It is not like this is Chicago.
Aren’t some of New Mexico’s state troopers illegals? Did he even pay the ticket or did he scam this state.
The Top Cop of NM is…A LIAR…
NM is an Upholstered Toilet….
My People Have Been Here Since The 1850’s….. But…
I Can’t Wait To Get Out Of Here
Almost all the cops, politicians, and judges are corrupt as hell. I had a cop recently give me a ticket (law abiding citizen, born and raised American in NM) because he thought my windshield was too cracked. Meanwhile I had just passed people smoking fentanyl at the bus stop. NM always protecting the criminals more than American citizens. Absolutely disgusting. When are we going to rise up as a nation??? And NO COP EVER should be allowed to be a cop if your not American which is what we have here in NM. The whole state needs to get rid of every cop, politician, and judge and get people who actually care about NM and Americans. This state is going to hell in a hand basket. Not to mention the activities I loved doing here such as camping and going to lakes are now overrun with illegals who blast their shitty music and litter everywhere!! I hate it. This is not their country it’s OURS. They all need to leave and why do we keep upholding laws towards them??? They don’t get a fair trial because THEY’RE NOT AMERICAN!!!!! We are doomed if we don’t stop this. Call it what it is…an invasion and takeover of our country!!!!!
That State Police officer should have known the law about tickets. A ticket stays on your record for 3 years. He also should not have reduced it down from 60 miles an hour to give him a lesser fine & apologized for being the first one to give him a ticket. Be a professional & do your damn job like you were hired to do. Troy Weisler doesn’t make himself look very good either but then again he’s a brown noser of Grisham.
Think about this: When a person is issued a driver’s license, they are automatically registered to vote and to sit on a jury.