The Trump administration on Thursday abruptly suspended the issuance of U.S. visas for commercial truck drivers following a deadly highway crash in Florida, marking the latest restrictive move against foreign workers.
“Effective immediately we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on X. He argued that the rise in foreign-born drivers of heavy trucks was “endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.”
The decision followed the case of Harjinder Singh, an Indian national accused of causing a crash that killed three people while making an illegal U-turn. Officials said Singh entered the U.S. unlawfully through Mexico, later sought asylum, and failed an English exam after the accident. His extradition from California was personally overseen by Florida’s lieutenant governor and federal immigration agents, underscoring the political weight the case has taken on.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the incident “a preventable tragedy directly caused by reckless decisions and compounded by despicable failures.” California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office, however, pointed out that Singh had been granted a federal work permit, adding that state officials cooperated fully in his extradition.
Republicans have seized on the crash to press their case against foreign truckers, though data linking immigration to road accidents remains inconclusive. The number of foreign-born truck drivers has more than doubled since 2000, reaching 720,000 by 2021, or about 18% of the workforce, according to federal figures. Industry groups say the influx has helped fill a driver shortage estimated at 24,000 — a gap that costs the U.S. freight sector nearly $100 million weekly.
The suspension adds to the administration’s widening visa restrictions. Since Trump returned to office, the State Department says it has revoked more than 6,000 student visas, introduced continuous vetting for all 55 million visa holders, and halted visitor visas for injured children from Gaza. Rubio has also ordered social media reviews of applicants and used national security provisions to rescind visas for individuals opposing U.S. foreign policy, including critics of Israel’s military actions.
