New York, February 13, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The recent White House post commenting on truck accidents involving Sikh drivers reflects unequal and disparate treatment of a minority community based on race and national origin.
The White House should be wary of using a public platform to issue statements about truck accidents in a way that appears to single out or unfairly target members of the Sikh community.
It should at minimum be an honest account. However, according to a USDOT report (April 2025), there were 528,177 truck accidents in the United States in 2023, resulting in 5,472 fatalities. Another estimate shows 39,345 traffic-related fatalities in 2024, with approximately 40,000 fatalities in both 2022 and 2021.
These tragic numbers represent nationwide roadway safety challenges across all communities. It would be inaccurate and inappropriate to imply that such incidents are all attributable to Sikhs.
There are approximately one million Sikhs in the United States. Sikhs have contributed to this country since the early 1800s, including through work on railroads and in the transportation industry. Many Sikh families also migrated in 1984 to escape violence and persecution in India following the government’s attack on the Sikh sacred Golden Temple.
Central to Sikh practice is langar, community kitchens that serve free meals to all, regardless of background, reflecting the Sikh faith’s core values of equality, service, and dignity.
We respectfully urge the White House to engage with the Sikh community fairly and to reaffirm that all individuals in the United States are entitled to dignity, equal protection, and due process under the law. People should be judged in courtrooms based on evidence, not in public statements that stigmatize the entire community.
Additionally, current FMCSA rules on CDL eligibility promulgated by USDOT do not achieve the intended outcome in a fair and democratic manner. The rule does not ensure public access to due process hearings that could provide an appropriate forum to assess a driver’s qualifications and eligibility, including prior driving records.
To maintain public trust in government, any comments coming from the White House and any regulatory framework must be neutral, transparent, and free from discrimination based on race or national origin.
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