Duffy tells Newsom '3 more people would be alive' if he followed federal truck licensing rules

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy accused California Gov. Gavin Newsom of violating new federal commercial licensing rules by purportedly allowing an immigrant in the country illegally to maintain a commercial driver’s license (CDL). 

That truck driver is accused of causing a freeway crash that resulted in three fatalities on Tuesday in California.

Newsom is blaming the federal government for the crash, arguing its policies ultimately allowed the suspect to receive a license. Duffy rejected that claim.

The dispute comes as the transportation secretary threatens to withhold millions in federal highway funds from California and expands a federal review into how non-citizens acquire state-issued licenses.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom during a bill signing Aug. 21 in Sacramento, Calif.  (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

"Had Gavin followed our rules per DOT, this guy would have never been on the road. Three more people would be alive," Duffy said Friday on "America Reports."

The deadly crash occurred Tuesday on a Southern California freeway. Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old Indian national, allegedly drove a semitruck while under the influence, causing a multi-car pileup with three fatalities.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced potential funding cuts for several states accused of noncompliance with federal trucking safety standards during a news conference in Washington, D.C., Aug. 26. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

According to the Department of Transportation, California violated new federal rules by upgrading Singh’s non-domiciled CDL despite an emergency rule and compliance notice issued Sept. 26.

"If California had complied with the secretary’s emergency rule and prevented the upgrade of this individual’s driving privileges earlier this month, he would have never been able to get behind his big rig," according to a department statement.

The rule was designed to restrict eligibility for noncitizen licenses and require states to verify applicants’ legal status.

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California first issued Singh his CDL in June but upgraded it in mid-October, weeks after the new federal restrictions took effect, according to the Department of Transportation.

Newsom’s press office called the crash "tragic" but accused the Trump administration of trying to score "political points."

"This is tragic, and as with every tragedy over the last ten months, Secretary Noem has ordered Secretary Duffy to look for every opportunity to manipulate the facts to score cheap political points," his office wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

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"The FEDERAL government approved and renewed this individual’s FEDERAL employment authorization multiple times – which allowed him to obtain a commercial driver’s license in accordance with FEDERAL law."

Duffy didn’t accept the governor’s message.

Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old Indian national, allegedly drove a big rig while under the influence, leading to a California crash that killed at least three people on Oct. 21. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

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"It’s nice to see Gavin tap-dance in a tweet, good for him," he said.

"But the truth is we do set the guidelines by which licenses can be issued. We sent that guidance out. Gavin Newsom said, ‘I’m not going to follow it. I’m going to allow this foreigner to get an upgraded license.' That was Gavin Newsom’s choice. The states issue commercial driver's licenses. We give the guidance, they issue them."

"California rules and regulations for commercial driver’s licensing are consistent with federal law," Newsom's office told Fox News Digital in part. 

The California Transportation Agency posted on X: "MISINFORMATION ALERT: The state does not determine commercial driver’s license eligibility. The FEDERAL government approves and renews all FEDERAL employment authorization documents that allows individuals to work and obtain commercial driver’s licenses."