Aug 28, 07:00 AM

U.S. Freezes Work Visas for Foreign Truck Drivers After Fatal Florida Crash

The Trump administration has halted the issuance of all new work visas for foreign nationals seeking U.S. commercial driver’s licences, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement posted late Thursday. The suspension, effective immediately, covers every category of employment visa used by commercial truck drivers and freezes applications already in the pipeline, according to people familiar with the order. Rubio linked the decision to a 12 Aug. accident in St. Lucie County, Florida, where Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old Indian immigrant driving an 18-wheel truck, attempted an illegal U-turn and collided with a minivan, killing three occupants. Singh, who entered the United States in May 2023 and obtained a California-issued commercial licence, failed an English-proficiency interview after the crash and now faces three counts of vehicular manslaughter. Immigration and Customs Enforcement later arrested his brother, who was riding as co-driver and was in the country unlawfully. The fatal crash intensified scrutiny of foreign drivers as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration opened an investigation into licensing practices. It also follows an April executive order in which President Donald Trump mandated that all commercial driver applicants pass reading, writing and spoken-English tests without interpreters. Rubio said the visa freeze will remain until the administration completes a broader review of safety and labour impacts. The American Trucking Associations praised the move, saying stricter enforcement is needed to protect motorists and U.S. trucking jobs.