New York/Washington, Feb 25 (PTI) President Donald Trump has honoured a young girl who suffered life-altering injuries in a multi-vehicle crash caused by an Indian truck driver living illegally in the country, during his address to a joint session of the US Congress.
In his State of the Union speech at the US Capitol on Tuesday, Trump said Dalilah Coleman was only five years old in June 2024 when an 18-wheel tractor-trailer travelling at 60 miles an hour rammed into her stationary car.
“The driver was an illegal alien let in by Joe Biden and given a commercial driver’s license by open borders politicians in California,” he said.
Though Trump did not mention the identity of the driver, in August last year, Partap Singh, who had arrived in the US illegally, was arrested for causing the multi-vehicle crash while driving the 18-wheeler truck in California that had critically injured Coleman.
Trump noted that doctors had said that Coleman would never be able to walk or talk, or have a good life.
“She wouldn’t even be able to eat again. But against all odds, she is now in the first grade, learning to walk, and she’s here this evening with her dad… Dalilah… You are a great inspiration. Please stand up,” he said.
Coleman, accompanied by her father, was seated in the gallery of the House chamber along with other special guests.
She received a standing ovation and thunderous applause from lawmakers, guests and attendees.
Trump said many “illegal aliens” do not speak English and cannot read even the most basic road signs about direction, speed, danger or location.
“That’s why tonight I’m calling on Congress to pass what we will call the Dalilah Law barring any state from granting commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens,” he said, drawing applause.
Singh had illegally crossed the southern border in October 2022 and was “released” into the country by the Joe Biden administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had said in a statement.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) later arrested Singh, and he was in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.
The agency said that in June 2024, Singh caused the multi-car pileup while driving a commercial 18-wheeler in California.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) Traffic Crash Report had stated that Singh drove at an unsafe speed and failed to stop for traffic and a construction zone.
Singh had been issued a commercial driver’s license by California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Department of Motor Vehicles.
The accident had left Coleman with critical, life-altering injuries. Her stepfather, Michael Krause, was also hospitalised, while the child had to be airlifted to a hospital. Several others were also treated for injuries.
According to Coleman’s father, the crash resulted in her inability to walk, talk, eat orally, or attend kindergarten as planned. She was in a coma for three weeks and required six months of hospital treatment before her family could bring her home.
While in the hospital, she had a craniectomy and was without half of her skull for four months. She experienced a broken femur, skull fractures, and has since been diagnosed with diplegic cerebral palsy, global developmental delay, and will need lifelong therapy.
“Dalilah Coleman’s life was forever changed when an illegal alien driving an 18-wheeler slammed into her and her family. This tragedy was entirely preventable,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem had said. PTI YAS SCY SCY
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