Federal immigration authorities have apprehended an undocumented Indian national, Rajinder Kumar, accused of causing a fatal accident in Oregon that claimed the lives of a newlywed couple, following his release from jail, according to officials.
On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had detained 32-year-old Kumar after what the agency described as his release by “Oregon sanctuary politicians.”
Kumar is alleged to have caused a serious crash on November 24 in Deschutes County. Reports indicate that he lost control of his semi-truck and trailer, causing them to jackknife and obstruct both lanes of U.S. Highway 20, as detailed by Fox 12 Oregon.
Subsequently, a Subaru Outback collided with the immobile vehicle, tragically resulting in the deaths of the driver, William Micah Carter, and his passenger, Jennifer Lynn Lower. The couple had been married just 16 days prior to the incident, according to DHS.
ICE had issued an immigration detainer for Kumar following the fatal accident. However, Oregon officials did not comply with this request and released him on April 2. ICE agents subsequently took Kumar into custody on April 22, and he is currently being detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, awaiting deportation proceedings.
DHS said Oregon officials declined to cooperate with ICE and released Kumar on April 2. ICE agents arrested him April 22 and he is now being held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma pending deportation proceedings.
Kumar has been charged with criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment, DHS said.
According to DHS, Kumar entered the U.S. illegally near Lukeville, Arizona, in November 2022 and was later released into the country by the Biden administration. He was granted work authorization in 2023 and obtained a commercial driver’s license in California.
William Micah Carter and Jennifer Lynn Lower were killed in a crash in Oregon just 16 days after getting married, according to the Department of Homeland Security. (Department of Homeland Security)
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis blamed California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration for issuing the license.
“This illegal alien was issued a CDL by Gavin Newsom’s California,” Bis said in a statement. “He then went on to recklessly drive a truck on America’s highways and KILL two honeymooners.”
“Instead of cooperating with ICE law enforcement, Oregon sanctuary politicians RELEASED him from jail back into American communities,” she added.
Rajinder Kumar, a 32-year-old Indian national, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after being released from an Oregon jail, according to the Department of Homeland Security. (Department of Homeland Security)
Bis said sanctuary policies endanger public safety.
“Every time sanctuary politicians release a dangerous criminal illegal alien back into our communities, they are gambling with American lives,” Bis added. “We are grateful to our ICE law enforcement officers who tracked this killer down to ensure he’s permanently removed from America’s highways and can never harm another American family again.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Newsom’s office for comment and DHS for clarification on Oregon officials’ level of cooperation.
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