U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested two Indian nationals, Simranpal Singh and Sukhdev Singh, in separate cases involving immigration enforcement and alleged public-safety concerns, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).The DHS statement identified Simranpal Singh as an Indian national arrested by ICE in Pennsylvania in September 2026. According to the department, Singh had previously been issued a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) by the state of New York. The statement raised questions about the circumstances under which the licence was issued and the role of state authorities in checking the eligibility of commercial drivers.
In another case, DHS named Sukhdev Singh, an Indian national arrested in March 2026 following a serious semi-truck crash. The department stated that the collision left a U.S. citizen critically injured and requiring hospital treatment. The case has been cited by federal authorities as part of their broader concerns about immigration enforcement and public safety involving commercial vehicle operators.
The DHS announcement also discussed a separate case involving Reynaldo Hoel Mayna, a Peruvian national arrested by New York City police. ICE lodged an immigration detainer against him on November 3, 2026. DHS alleged that Mayna had a previous criminal history involving rape and sexual-abuse-related offences, assault with a deadly weapon and forcible touching. The department further stated that he had entered the United States near San Diego in August 2023 and was released into the country at that time.
The statement criticised New York’s immigration policies, alleging that local authorities have failed to honour a number of ICE detainers. DHS argued that such policies can make it more difficult for federal immigration authorities to take custody of individuals they consider to be public-safety risks.
The cases involving Simranpal Singh and Sukhdev Singh have also brought attention to the responsibilities of commercial drivers, the process for issuing commercial driving licences and the importance of verifying eligibility before allowing individuals to operate heavy vehicles.
However, the allegations and descriptions contained in the DHS statement should be distinguished from final court findings. Arrests do not, by themselves, establish guilt, and the final legal outcomes of the cases involving the two Indian nationals were not detailed in the department’s announcement.
The developments are part of the wider debate in the United States over immigration enforcement, state and federal responsibilities, commercial driving regulations and public safety.