US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday announced an immediate pause on the issuance of worker visas for foreign commercial truck drivers, citing risks to road safety and concerns over American jobs being displaced.
In a post on X, Rubio wrote: “Effective immediately we are 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.”
The decision comes in the aftermath of a fatal Florida highway crash on August 12, involving Harjinder Singh, an undocumented immigrant, who allegedly attempted an illegal U-turn with a tractor-trailer, blocking traffic and causing a wreck that left three people dead. Following the incident, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) lodged an arrest detainer for Singh.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy confirmed that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has launched an investigation into the crash. Meanwhile, Secretary Noem stated earlier this week that her team is working to prevent undocumented immigrants from acquiring truck driver licenses in jurisdictions that “put American drivers and passengers in danger.”
The visa freeze aligns with previous executive orders issued by President Donald Trump earlier this year. In March, Trump signed an order designating English as the official language of the United States, followed in April by a mandate requiring all commercial truck drivers to demonstrate English proficiency to operate legally in the country.
Foreign drivers in the US typically work under H-2B visas, but their future remains uncertain as the State Department has also begun reviewing the records of over 55 million visa holders for potential violations, including criminal activity, overstays, and links to terrorism.