The U.S. has halted the issuance of work visas for commercial truck drivers, effective immediately, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who made the announcement on Thursday.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X, “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.”
A State Department spokesperson clarified later Thursday that the pause was implemented “in order to conduct a comprehensive and thorough review of screening and vetting protocols used to determine their qualifications for a U.S. visa.” The spokesperson added that the move “applies to all nationalities and is not directed at any specific country.”
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The decision comes in the wake of an incident involving an undocumented truck driver, Harjinder Singh, who was accused of causing a crash that killed three innocent people.
In recent months, the Trump administration has tightened rules requiring truck drivers to demonstrate proficiency in English, both in speaking and reading. According to the Transportation Department, the measure is intended to enhance road safety, particularly in response to cases where drivers’ limited English skills may have played a role in fatal accidents.
The State Department spokesperson stated, “as we have seen with recent deadly accidents, foreign truckers can pose risks to American lives, U.S. national security, and foreign policy interests.”
“Ensuring that every driver on our roads meets the highest standards is important to protecting the livelihoods of American truckers and maintaining a secure, resilient supply chain,’’ added the spokesperson.
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On the other hand, U.S. immigration attorney Gnanamookan Senthurjothi, stated that this could spark bias. “These actions of a few international drivers could impact work visa and licence policies and fuel negative publicity and stereotyping,” Senthurjothi wrote on X. “The tragedy has led to backlash and negative media coverage toward all Indian truckers, regardless of legal status, with viral videos reporting ‘Indian drivers’ in fatal mishaps.”
Immigrants now make up roughly 18% of truck drivers in the U.S., according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of foreign-born drivers more than doubled, from about 316,000 to over 720,000, between 2000 and 2021. This increase reflects broader changes in the American labor market and emphasizes how important immigrant workers have become to maintaining the trucking industry. The nation’s ongoing truck driver shortage, which now stands at over 60,000, has also been lessened by their presence. However, worries about how this strategy would impact a significant workforce segment have been raised by the recent halt on work permits for commercial truck drivers.