The fatal crash that killed Pennsylvania State Trooper Michael Pahira Jr. on Interstate 81 has exposed shortcomings in highway safety and immigration enforcement, according to State Sen. Doug Mastriano, the architect of Pennsylvania's move-over law.
Mastriano stated that lax immigration enforcement contributed to the incident, which involved a truck driver identified by the Department of Homeland Security as Michael Bon, a Haitian national who reportedly entered the U.S. under the Biden administration's mass parole program.
Mastriano, a Republican, said his move-over law, enacted in 2019, was designed to prevent such tragedies. The law requires motorists to yield to or slow down for emergency vehicles and tow trucks. He contends that Bon's immigration status made the crash preventable had federal laws been enforced.
Bon was allegedly driving out of his lane when he struck Pahira's cruiser while the trooper was conducting a commercial-vehicle inspection. Mastriano emphasized the connection between highway safety legislation and immigration policies, stating that Trooper Pahira should still be alive if the federal government had properly enforced its border laws.
Pennsylvania's Governor Josh Shapiro's administration has previously pointed to the federal government's SAVE registry, which verifies noncitizen immigration status, as the basis for licensing decisions. A spokesperson for Shapiro stated that individuals applying for commercial learner's permits or driver's licenses in Pennsylvania must provide proof of lawful presence, which is verified through the federal SAVE database. The administration also noted that PennDOT had paused all issuances of such licenses following a federal order on September 29, 2025.
Mastriano called for an end to "finger-pointing" and urged Gov. Shapiro to use his authority to ensure that individuals receiving commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) are legally present in the country and capable of operating a vehicle. He suggested that states have the authority to address motor vehicle policy, particularly concerning CDLs issued to individuals in the country illegally, as has been seen in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
Massachusetts and Pennsylvania have both defended their licensing systems, indicating they rely on the federal SAVE database for verification. A spokesperson for the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles stated that Bon would have been rejected upon any attempted renewal for 2027.
Regarding federal action, Mastriano suggested that Washington could leverage highway funding, similar to the approach taken during the 1970s gasoline crisis to enforce the 55-mph speed limit, to encourage state compliance on immigration and licensing issues. He also noted the potential for federal resources to improve highways, particularly along routes like Interstate 81, which connects military installations such as Letterkenny Army Depot and Tobyhanna Army Depot.
Since Bon's crash, another incident occurred where an undocumented immigrant was arrested after allegedly striking and killing a motorist changing a tire on Interstate 80 in Illinois.