After a crash last month on Florida’s Turnpike killed three people, a Florida Senate Republican on Thursday filed a bill that seeks to crack down on truck drivers who are undocumented immigrants.
Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, filed the bill (SB 86) for consideration during the 2026 legislative session, which will start in January.
Mandatory custody and vehicle impoundment
The bill would require law enforcement officers to take into custody truck drivers who are determined to be undocumented immigrants and help transfer them to federal immigration officials.
Also, it would require impounding trucks driven by undocumented immigrants who are taken into custody and imposing a $50,000 fine on the vehicles’ owners.
Penalties for owners and crash context
In addition, the owners would be barred from operating in Florida.
The bill came after semi-tractor-trailer driver Harjinder Singh, a native of India, was arrested last month following a crash that allegedly stemmed from his attempting a U-turn on the turnpike in St. Lucie County.
The crash resulted in three deaths.
