After days of California Governor Gavin Newsom mocking President Donald Trump, Kristi Noem has found a chip to use against the governor in this petty fight.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has started a fiery political clash with California Governor Newsom. This came on the heels of a fatal crash in Florida that left three people dead. The accused, Harjinder Singh, is an undocumented immigrant from India. This crash became a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration policy, the process of distributing driver’s licenses and political accountability.
On August 12, Singh was driving a commercial vehicle and attempted an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike. This illegal and dangerous maneuver caused a catastrophic collision that killed three people instantly.
Authorities arrested Singh at the scene and then charged him with three counts of vehicular homicide. It was later confirmed that Singh had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in 2018.
In 2019, he applied for a commercial driver’s license that was issued by the state of California.
Noem was only recently appointed as Secretary of Homeland Security and had been on a crackdown against illegal immigrants. As soon as the tragedy occurred, Noem didn’t waste a moment and linked it all back to Newsom’s policies.
🇺🇸
3 died in a crash in Florida, USA, after a semi-truck made an illegal U-turn, colliding with a minivan.
A woman, 37, from Pompano Beach and a man, 54, from Miami died in collide. The minivan’s driver, man, 30, from Florida, was airlifted to the hospital, where he later died. pic.twitter.com/bz5qHqYLfX
— orange 🍊 (@orange4u28) August 16, 2025
“Three innocent people were killed in Florida because Gavin Newsom’s California DMV issued an illegal alien a Commercial Driver’s License. This gut-wrenching tragedy should have never happened.” Noem posted on X and declared:
3 innocent people were killed in Florida because Gavin Newsom’s California DMV issued an illegal alien a Commercial Driver’s License.
This gut wrenching tragedy should have never happened.
My team at @DHSgov will work with @USDOT to root out and prevent illegal aliens from…
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) August 18, 2025
She went on another one of her tirades and promised action. She added that she and her department would work closely with the Department of Transportation and would ensure that undocumented immigrants can no longer apply for and obtain commercial driver’s licenses, even in so-called “sanctuary jurisdictions.”
Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin has echoed Noem’s message. She has described the situation as “asinine governance” and warned that “criminal illegal aliens” were endangering Americans.
However, Noem was quick to jump the gun and missed the crucial details completely. Newsom’s office was quick to strike back with characteristic sharpness and offered those details.
Newsome’s press team pointed out that Singh came into the country and was given a license during the Trump administration. All this did not happen under Gavin Newsom’s watch. Newsom’s office also pointed out that Singh was granted work authorization through a federal Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Again, under Trump’s Department of Homeland Security.
Hey, Commander Cosplay: the federal government (YOU) already confirmed that this guy meets federal and state immigration requirements — YOU issued him a work permit (EAD). Oops.
As usual, you are either lying or clueless. https://t.co/3zYZFILJKS pic.twitter.com/V0fzG8VR4G
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 18, 2025
“Hey, genius: the federal government (TRUMP ADMIN) already confirmed that this guy meets federal and state immigration requirements — YOU issued him a work permit (EAD). As usual, the Trump Administration is either lying or clueless.” The governor’s press office posted a biting response on X
The following post from the office was a cheeky jab showing a poster asking X’s AI chatbot Grok who was president in 2018. The AI’s response was as expected- “Donald Trump.” This further fueled Newsom’s counterattack. He suggested that Noem’s attempt to blame California’s policies was misplaced and lazy.
The exchange has gone on to show just how politically motivated the immigration issue has become in 2025. While Republicans are cashing in on the Florida tragedy and presenting it as proof that lenient state-level policies like California’s create loopholes that endanger the public, Democrats are taking this as an example of Trump-era failures that are being cynically spun into a partisan talking point.
A semitruck driver accused of making an “illegal” U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike and causing a crash that left three people dead is now charged with vehicular homicide and immigration violations, officials say. https://t.co/EtYDekgqzq pic.twitter.com/ibNiPS6ROP
— 10 Tampa Bay (@10TampaBay) August 18, 2025
All the while, families of the victims are left grieving. Their loss is getting overshadowed by the Twitter (X) wars. It’s not only the families of the crash victims but also victims of other crimes all over the country that are being pushed and pulled between two ambitious politicians.
As Singh awaits trial, the debate over immigration will intensify. There will be questions about licensing, and accountability. It will keep growing with both Trump and Newsom keeping their names in the national spotlight.
