The Trump administration has paused all worker visas for commercial truck drivers after an illegal immigrant caused a fatal crash in Florida.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the move on Thursday, stating that the administration is taking immediate action to protect American lives and jobs.
“Effective immediately we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers,” Rubio said in a post 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.”
The announcement follows a fatal crash on the Florida Turnpike in Fort Pierce.
Authorities said Harjinder Singh, 28, an Indian national who entered the U.S. illegally, attempted a U-turn in an unauthorized section of the road. His trailer jackknifed into a minivan, killing all three of the passengers. Singh was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and extradited from California to Florida.
Federal and state officials revealed Singh should not have been operating a commercial vehicle at all. The Department of Homeland Security stated that he failed an English proficiency test, correctly answering only two out of twelve verbal questions and identifying only one of four traffic signs. Despite this, Singh obtained commercial driver’s licenses in both Washington and California.
The Trump administration has been pressing states to comply with existing English-proficiency standards for commercial drivers.
In April, President Trump signed an executive order reversing a 2016 Obama-era rule that had directed inspectors not to remove drivers from service if their only violation was lack of English proficiency.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has opened an investigation into the Florida crash. Officials argue the case highlights serious risks posed by unqualified foreign drivers.
The handling of Singh’s status has also sparked political clashes.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office claimed Singh obtained a work permit during Trump’s first term. But DHS officials countered that Singh was denied in September 2020, under Trump, and only granted a permit in June 2021, under the Biden administration.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer for Singh, ensuring he will be transferred into federal custody once his criminal case concludes.
According to federal data, about 16 percent of truck drivers in the United States were born outside the country. Trump officials say the visa freeze will remain in place while the administration reviews safety, licensing, and immigration practices affecting the industry.