Supreme Court Blocks Florida’s Interstate Truck Driver Licensing Lawsuit
Supreme Court rejects Florida AG’s bid to sue California and Washington over truck driver licensing in fatal crash case.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s attempt to sue California and Washington over their licensing of an undocumented truck driver who allegedly killed three Floridians in a traffic accident.
“The motion for leave to file a bill of complaint is denied,” the court stated in its brief dismissal issued Tuesday. The majority provided no explanation for blocking the interstate lawsuit.
Justices Thomas and Alito Dissent
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the decision, arguing the court should reconsider its traditional reluctance to hear disputes between states. Thomas, nominated by George H.W. Bush, wrote a four-page dissent criticizing the majority’s refusal.
“This Court declines to even hear Florida’s claims, even though it has nowhere else to bring them,” Thomas wrote. “Because I would allow Florida to file its complaint, I respectfully dissent.”
Background of the Case
The Supreme Court’s refusal comes seven months after Uthmeier filed the state versus state legal challenge. The lawsuit targeted California and Washington for issuing commercial driver’s licenses to Harjinder Singh, a 47-year-old Indian national in the country without proper documentation.
Singh caused a fatal crash on a St. Lucie County highway after attempting an illegal U-turn. The driver had previously failed an English proficiency test but still received commercial licenses from both western states.
Uthmeier’s lawsuit alleged the states violated federal safety regulations by improperly issuing Singh commercial driver’s licenses. The attorney general sought to permanently ban California and Washington from providing commercial driver’s licenses to any non-citizens.
Federal Response and Ongoing Consequences
Singh was not arrested at the crash scene and traveled to California, where U.S. marshals later apprehended him. The incident triggered immediate nationwide reactions from federal officials.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio temporarily froze visas for foreign-born truck drivers following the crash. The U.S. Department of Transportation withheld more than $40 million from California due to alleged licensing failures.
In Florida, Uthmeier issued criminal subpoenas to the trucking firm that employed Singh. Governor Ron DeSantis enlisted his lieutenant governor, Jay Collins, who was preparing for a gubernatorial campaign at the time, in an effort to address the case.
The Supreme Court’s decision effectively ends Florida’s attempt to use interstate litigation to challenge other states’ commercial driver licensing practices. The case highlighted ongoing tensions between states over immigration policy and transportation safety regulations.
