The United States government has announced an immediate halt to the issuance of worker visas for foreign commercial truck drivers. The decision, disclosed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, comes amid growing safety concerns and follows a fatal collision involving an immigrant truck driver in Florida.
Rubio stated that the pause in visas aims to address the increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor trailers on American roads, which he said threatens public safety and impacts the livelihoods of US truckers. The suspension affects visa applications under categories including H-2B, a non immigrant visa allowing employers to hire foreign workers for temporary non agricultural positions.
The move follows the arrest of Harjinder Singh, an Indian truck driver charged with three counts of vehicular homicide. Singh allegedly caused a deadly crash near West Palm Beach by making an illegal U turn. Following investigations, authorities revealed that Singh had entered the US illegally and had not passed English language proficiency and road tests previously required for a commercial driving licence.
In response to the incident, the Department of Transportation launched an inquiry into regulatory lapses that may have contributed to the tragic accident. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also emphasised the need for drivers to demonstrate English proficiency to ensure they can properly understand traffic signs and communicate with safety officials.
The pause on foreign truck driver visas forms part of broader immigration and safety reforms introduced by the current US administration. Since April, new rules have enforced language proficiency requirements more strictly, disqualifying thousands of drivers who fail to meet the criteria.
The State Department is concurrently reviewing the records of over 55 million visa holders for possible deportation due to criminal offences, visa overstays, or security-related issues. The government has also revoked thousands of student visas for similar reasons.
This policy shift has sparked debate about immigration, labour shortages in the trucking industry, and road safety in the US.
