Nearly three million people are demanding that an illegal immigrant trucker, Manisha Kaushal, receive a reduced sentence after he was involved in a crash leading to the deaths of three people.
“We, the undersigned, urge Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Board of Executive Clemency to re-examine and reduce the sentence for a 28-year-old truck driver involved in a fatal U-turn crash on Florida’s Turnpike in South Florida,” the petition says. “This was a tragic accident — not a deliberate act. While accountability matters, the severity of the charges against him does not align with the circumstances of the incident.”
The petition, signed by 2.7 million people, urges DeSantis to consider that the trucker allegedly lacked criminal intent and requests that he “impose a proportionate and reasonable sentence that reflects the reality this was a tragic accident, not an intentional act of harm. The punishment should be firm but fair — ensuring justice without being excessively harsh.”
DeSantis must also “allow parole eligibility after a fair portion of the sentence has been served, promoting rehabilitation, accountability, and the chance for a second opportunity in life” as well as “consider alternative sentencing measures,” the petition adds.
“By granting clemency, you would reaffirm the value of proportional justice, the power of community advocacy, and the potential for rehabilitation,” the statement concludes. “We believe this case is not just about one individual—it speaks to the broader principles of fairness and mercy in the justice system.”
Following the fatal crash, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. is “pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers.”
“The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” he said.
