ICE returns Oregon trucker to state custody

Federal immigration agents returned a 32-year-old truck driver to Oregon state custody earlier this month. Rajinder Kumar faces charges for killing two people in a highway crash last November. The transfer follows a legal dispute between local and federal officials regarding his release from jail. ICE released video of the handoff, showing a personal moment between the driver and the victim’s mother.

Kumar entered the United States in November 2022 near Lukeville, Ariz. He was caught by Border Patrol but released pending removal proceedings. During that time, he received federal work authorization. The State of California later issued him a commercial driver’s license. He was driving a tractor-trailer on U.S. Highway 20 in Oregon when the crash occurred.

The accident happened on Nov. 24, 2025. Kumar allegedly jackknifed his semi across both lanes of the highway. A Subaru Outback driven by William Micah Carter, 25, collided with the truck. Carter and his wife, Jennifer Lynn Lower, 24, died at the scene. The couple had been married for only 16 days. A Deschutes County grand jury indicted Kumar for two counts of first-degree manslaughter. He also faces three counts of recklessly endangering another person.

Kumar pleaded not guilty in state court. Authorities released him from custody on April 2. ICE had filed an immigration detainer, asking the jail to hold him for federal review. County corrections officials declined to honor the request. They released Kumar into the community under Oregon’s state sanctuary policies. Federal agents located and arrested him on April 22. They detained him at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Wash.

ICE decided to return Kumar to Oregon before executing any deportation orders. This move ensures he stands trial for the felony charges first. Acting Field Office Director Julio Hernandez said the families of the victims deserve accountability. He stated that the coordinated action supports the victims and prevents the accused from evading justice. DHS officials confirmed that federal deportation proceedings are currently paused.

The video of the handoff was recorded at the passenger window of an ICE vehicle. Elizabeth Carter, the mother of one of the victims, spoke to Kumar through the glass. She introduced herself as William Micah Carter’s mother. Carter told Kumar she prayed for him and his family. She noted that she knew he did not plan to kill two newlyweds that morning. She added that she understood his family was going through a difficult time. Kumar struggled to meet her gaze while she spoke.

The interaction occurred as federal agents prepared to transfer him to state custody. Kumar faces a trial in Deschutes County Circuit Court. The state is moving forward with criminal prosecution. Federal removal proceedings remain on hold until the state case concludes. The transfer marks the end of a four-month period where Kumar was in federal custody.

Carter described the moment as a way to deliver compassion to the man charged with killing her son. She said she wanted him to know she was not angry with him personally. She emphasized that she understood the circumstances were tragic for his family as well. The video was released by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Victims of Immigrant Crime Engagement office. It serves as a record of the interaction prior to his return to local authorities.

Kumar remains in Deschutes County custody. He is scheduled to appear in court to answer the manslaughter charges. The state has priority in prosecuting the case. Federal agents will maintain their detainer in case he is released by the state in the future. The pause in deportation ensures that the criminal justice process can proceed without interference from federal immigration actions.