US immigration authorities transfer Indian national to Oregon custody to face trial over fatal highway crash

Indian national Rajinder Kumar has been transferred to Oregon state custody in the United States and is set to face prosecution over a November 2025 tractor-trailer crash that killed two newlywed Americans, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency said on Monday. The US Border Patrol apprehended Kumar near Lukeville, Arizona, on November 28, 2022. (@ICEgov/X)Kumar has been indicted on two counts of first-degree manslaughter and other related charges in connection with the crash.Also Read | Indian national arrested by ICE for faking US citizenship, voting in 2024 general elections"After his local arrest, ICE lodged an immigration detainer with the Deschutes County Jail, but in April 2026, Deschutes County released Kumar from custody without honoring ICE’s detainer. ICE officers subsequently located and arrested Kumar at large earlier this year," it added.The US agency also confirmed that after state criminal proceedings conclude, the authorities will pursue the 32-year-old Indian national's immigration case in accordance with federal law.Also Read | ICE returns Indian national Rajinder Kumar to Oregon custody for trial in newlyweds' deaths: Key details hereWhat ICE said about Kumar’s arrestAccording to the official website of the agency, ICE ERO Seattle acting Field Office Director Julio S. Hernandez said that ICE worked closely with law-enforcement partners to ensure Kumar is returned to state custody."Two Americans lost their lives, and their families deserve accountability. ICE worked closely with law-enforcement partners to ensure Kumar is returned to state custody to answer for the serious charges against him," Hernandez said."This coordinated action protects the public, supports the victims’ families, and ensures that an individual accused of these crimes does not evade justice. ICE will continue using every lawful tool available to protect the American people from criminal activity committed by illegal aliens," the official added.Also Read | Indian national arrested in US over multi-million-dollar fraud targeting elderlyThe US Border Patrol apprehended Kumar near Lukeville, Arizona, on November 28, 2022, after he "illegally entered the United States from Mexico," according to ICE.He was then placed in removal proceedings."A pending application does not confer legal status in the United States," the agency added.In November 2025, Kumar allegedly jackknifed his semi-truck and trailer, blocking both lanes of US Highway 20. A Subaru Outback collided with the truck, killing both the driver and the passenger, according to a release of Department of Homeland Security dated April 28, 2026.The couple killed in the incident had been married for 16 days, according to Fox News.