- United States has halted the issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers
- This come following a fatal crash in Florida that killed three people
- Rubio said the decision was aimed at curbing the rising number of foreign drivers
The United States has halted the issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers following a fatal crash in Florida that killed three people. The move, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on X, takes effect immediately.
Rubio said the decision was aimed at curbing the rising number of foreign drivers behind the wheels of large tractor-trailers on American roads. “The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large trucks is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” he wrote.
The policy shift comes in the wake of an August 12 crash in Florida involving Harjinder Singh, an Indian national who reportedly entered the US illegally in 2018. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Singh obtained a commercial driver’s license in California despite his immigration status.
Officials said Singh was attempting a U-turn in an unauthorized area when the accident occurred, describing his driving as “reckless and without regard for the safety of others.”
The crash sparked widespread outrage after it emerged that Singh had previously been denied a work permit during Donald Trump’s presidency, but later secured one under the Biden administration.
The case has since escalated into a political flashpoint. California Governor Gavin Newsom has faced criticism for his state’s role in granting Singh a commercial license. Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, directly blamed California’s policies. “Three innocent people were killed in Florida because Gavin Newsom’s California DMV issued an illegal alien a Commercial Driver’s License,” she said. “This state of governance is asinine. How many more innocent people must die before Gavin Newsom stops playing games with the safety of the American public?”
The Department of Homeland Security said Singh will be deported after facing trial in Florida. In the meantime, officials stressed that the visa freeze is intended to safeguard US highways while broader reforms are considered.
