'Deport Harjinder supporters’: Counter-petition launched after trucker gains online sympathy

Harjinder Singh faces charges of vehicular homicide after three people were killed when he allegedly took a wrong turn in Florida.

Harjinder Singh, 28, has found support online after his arrest. The Indian truck driver – who entered the US illegally in 2018 – faces charges of vehicular homicide after three people were killed when he allegedly took a wrong turn on a Florida highway.

Harjinder Singh was in California after the August 12 accident, and was brought from there to Florida.(Change.org)

Singh was in California after the August 12 accident, and was brought from there to Florida. He got his driving license from California as well. The incident has prompted remarks from many quarters about illegal aliens posing a threat to American lives.

However, since Singh's arrest, a petition has been created to secure his freedom, and has garnered 1.6 million signatures at the time of writing. The petition argues the August 12 incident was ‘a tragic accident — not a deliberate act.’ It adds, “While accountability matters, the severity of the charges against him does not align with the circumstances of the incident.”

Petition for Harjinder Singh faces backlash

Another remarked “The message is that intra-ethnic coordination will swamp the homeland.” Yet another said, “You probably want to check all of their legal statuses to see if they need to be deported. Unbelievable that people keep backing murders over the life of American citizens.”

Mario Nawfal, a Lebanese-Australian entrepreneur, also shared the news on his X profile, which drew comments like “Deport them all.”

Counter petition to deport Harjinder's supporters

The backlash did not just stop at comments. A counter-petition has come up seeking to deport all those in support of Harjinder.

The person who set up the petition noted “These signatories not only undermine the legal system but also pose a potential threat to public safety by advocating leniency for someone whose actions led to irreversible consequences. It's crucial that our country sends a clear message: we will not tolerate such recklessness, nor will we shelter those who support it.”

“This petition to deport those who signed his petition looks like it needs some help,” one person remarked, as it currently has 484 verified signatories. Another petition has also been started demanding that Singh be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. “Harjinder Singh is responsible for these irreparable losses, yet there is a seeming gap in the legal system's response to prosecute him to the full extent of the law. This is not just a plea for justice for the departed souls, but also a call to action to protect American lives and uphold the integrity of our legal system,” the petition notes.

Sharing the petition on X, one user commented “1.6 million people signed a petition asking for leniency for the illegal Indian who k*lled 3 Americans. Let’s ask for him to be prosecuted. To the FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW.”

Meanwhile, following the accident, the US government announced it was pausing worker visas for commercial truck drivers.