Governor Shapiro Challenges DHS Claims on Semitruck Driver's Immigration Status After Fatal Indiana Crash
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's team is challenging the Department of Homeland Security's claims regarding the immigration status of a semitruck driver involved in a fatal crash in Indiana. The driver, Bekzhan Beishekeev, a 30-year-old from Kyrgyzstan, was taken into ICE custody after a detainer was placed on him.
According to DHS, Beishekeev entered the U.S. illegally using the CBP One app and later obtained a commercial driver's license (CDL) in Pennsylvania. He entered the country on Dec. 19, 2023, at the Nogales, Arizona port of entry and was released into the U.S. via parole by the Biden administration.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized Governor Shapiro for issuing a CDL to an individual like Beishekeev, blaming these decisions for the tragic incident in Indiana that claimed four lives.
Shapiro's office contends that Beishekeev had legal status when he received the license in July 2025 and could still be eligible for one based on the DHS database.
The fatal crash involving Beishekeev occurred on Feb. 3 on Indiana's State Route 67, where he allegedly failed to brake for a slowed semitruck, swerved into oncoming traffic, and collided with a van carrying 15 passengers, resulting in four fatalities.
DHS and the U.S. Department of Transportation have raised concerns about CDL issuing practices in various states following multiple fatal crashes involving individuals allegedly in the country illegally.
In a related incident, DHS mentioned the arrest of another illegal immigrant, Akhror Bozorov, who was wanted in Uzbekistan for ties to a terrorist organization. Bozorov, who was working as a commercial truck driver in Kansas, had a CDL issued in Pennsylvania and was granted work authorization under the Biden administration.
The investigation into the fatal crash in Indiana is ongoing, with multiple law enforcement agencies involved in determining the circumstances of the tragic event.