Trump Administration Halts Visas For Foreign Truck Drivers Citing Safety Concerns

Last Updated:August 22, 2025, 06:01 IST

Most foreign truck drivers in the U.S. are employed under the H-2B visa program.

The crackdown on foreign drivers follows a broader pattern of immigration and public safety measures (AP Image)

The Trump administration has announced a pause on the issuance of worker visas for foreign commercial truck drivers, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The decision, made effective immediately, was announced Thursday and is being justified as a public safety measure.

“Effective immediately we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers. The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on US roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” Rubio stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Rubio did not clarify how long the visa freeze would remain in effect. The current fiscal year, which typically governs visa quotas, ends on September 30. Most foreign truck drivers in the US are employed under the H-2B visa program, a non-immigrant visa that allows employers to bring foreign workers for temporary non-agricultural jobs.

The visa suspension comes just days after a fatal highway crash in Florida involving Harjinder Singh, a commercial truck driver. Singh was accused of making an illegal U-turn that resulted in multiple deaths approximately 50 miles north of West Palm Beach. The Department of Homeland Security later revealed that Singh was in the US illegally and was arrested on three counts of vehicular homicide.

In response to the crash, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced on Tuesday that an official investigation into the incident had been launched. Authorities are examining whether regulatory oversights contributed to the deadly event.

The crackdown on foreign drivers follows a broader pattern of immigration and public safety measures by the Trump administration. In April, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Transportation to remove commercial drivers who could not prove English language proficiency. While the English requirement has long been part of federal regulations, it had not been strictly enforced since 2016. The policy has reportedly led to the disqualification of more than 3,000 drivers nationwide who failed to pass English proficiency exams.

In a related development, the State Department confirmed Thursday that it is currently vetting over 55 million US visa holders for potential deportable offences, which include criminal activity, visa overstays, and involvement in terrorist activity.

Location :

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

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