US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Thursday that the issuing worker visas for commercial truck drivers have been “Effective immediately” paused. He added said that the rising number of foreign drivers who are running big tractor-trailer trucks on US roads is “endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.”.
No data to support claims
Rubio had warned about threats linked to foreign truck drivers. His post, however, did not provide any figures or specific examples. The warning came just days after a deadly accident on August 12 on the Florida Turnpike, where Indian truck driver Harjinder Singh was accused of making an illegal U-turn, which led to the crash killing 3 individuals. The Department of Homeland Security later said the driver was living in the United States illegally.
The Trump administration officials have repeatedly said that presence of undocumented drivers operating heavy trucks could endanger lives and affect American truckers’ livelihoods.
Trump Administration tightening checks on drivers
Taking a tougher stand on such cases, the Department of Transportation announced in May that it would strictly enforce speaking English-language as a requirement for commercial drivers. This followed an April executive order by US President Donald Trump aimed at tightening checks on drivers.
Officials also revealed that the State Department has revoked more than twice the number of visas since Trump took office compared with the same period in 2024, a Bloomberg report said. The administration is using these figures to highlight what it sees as progress in cracking down on foreigners who may pose a public safety risk, the report added.
Trucking industry challenges
Driving large rigs is seen as tough work in the US, and many companies have faced problems in recruiting and keeping drivers. The shortage peaked in 2022, when the American Trucking Associations reported that the industry lacked nearly 78,800 drivers, the Bloomberg report said. Although the situation has improved slightly, the demand for drivers remains high. The new rules and tighter enforcement could make it even harder for companies to fill these jobs.