WATCH: GOP Lawmaker Personally Escorts Killer Illegal Alien Off Of Extradition Flight

Florida Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins made headlines this week after personally escorting a suspected killer—an illegal immigrant—from California back to Florida. The suspect, 28-year-old Harjinder Singh, is accused of causing a catastrophic crash on Florida’s Turnpike on August 12 that left three people dead.

According to investigators, Singh allegedly executed an illegal U-turn using a median intended only for official vehicles. His 18-wheeler then blocked all northbound lanes, leaving a minivan with no time to react. The impact was devastating: all three passengers inside the minivan were killed instantly, while Singh walked away uninjured.

Authorities later revealed that Singh had been living in the United States illegally since 2018 after crossing the Mexican border. Despite his immigration status, he obtained a commercial driver’s license in California—something Florida officials say should never have happened.

After Singh fled to California, he was arrested in Stockton by federal authorities and held in custody pending extradition. Rather than leave the process to law enforcement alone, Lt. Gov. Collins flew across the country to personally oversee Singh’s transfer.

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“We’re here in California because when this tragic accident happened and three Floridian lives were lost, he fled back to California, where in 2018 he illegally crossed the border, came here and ended up getting a commercial driver’s license, a CDL,” Collins said.

“I hope and pray that California gets their stuff together and the voters are listening. Where your governor, your leadership cares more about American citizens and California citizens rather than making laws that support illegal immigration, that put people’s lives at risk,” he continued.

Collins accused California’s licensing and immigration policies of creating conditions that made the tragedy possible, pointing out that Singh failed basic proficiency tests following the crash—correctly answering just 2 of 12 verbal questions and identifying only 1 of 4 traffic signs.

“This isn’t our home turf. I am out here answering questions in California because I believe in protecting our citizenry that much. I believe in leadership that matters. This is not performative. This is what leadership should be.”

The high-profile extradition sparked a fierce political clash between the two states. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office slammed Collins’s decision as nothing more than a photo op, claiming Florida officials were deflecting from their own failures.

“So, let’s get this straight: Florida let a murder suspect walk, California police had to step in and arrest him, and now Florida’s new LG is staging a photo op to pick him up? The guy who lost to Mickey Mouse is now proving that California’s so-called ‘sanctuary’ laws actually work. Thanks, Ron!” Newsom’s office said in a statement.

Florida officials dismissed the criticism, pointing to Singh’s illegal entry under the Biden administration and California’s decision to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain commercial licenses.

Singh waived extradition during a brief appearance in a San Joaquin County courtroom, triggering a 30-day window for Florida to assume custody—a timeline Collins was determined to accelerate. Singh is now back in Florida facing three counts of vehicular homicide. Immigration authorities have also lodged a detainer, meaning Singh could face deportation after the criminal case concludes.