Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Thursday that the State Department will stop issuing work visas for commercial truck drivers, at least for now. He expressed concerns about the rising number of foreign drivers on U.S. roads, stating that they pose a risk to American lives and threaten the jobs of American truckers.
This decision comes in the wake of a tragic accident in Florida involving an immigrant driver from India. Harjinder Singh, who entered the U.S. illegally in 2018, received a work permit and a commercial driver’s license from California. In a serious incident, Singh made an illegal turn and crashed his truck into a minivan, resulting in the deaths of three American citizens. He has since been charged with vehicular homicide and is facing an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer.
Rubio’s announcement highlights a growing concern about safety on the roads and the impact of foreign drivers on the trucking industry. He emphasized the need for stricter regulations in light of the accident, which has sparked a heated debate among officials. Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, clashed with California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office over the issue. McLaughlin argued that the accident could have been avoided if Singh had not been issued a commercial driver’s license.
In response, Newsom’s office pointed out that California does not grant commercial licenses to undocumented immigrants and blamed the Trump administration for Singh’s initial entry into the U.S. McLaughlin countered that Singh’s work permit was initially denied under Trump but was approved by the Biden administration.
This back-and-forth highlights the ongoing tensions around immigration policy and public safety. As the situation develops, the pause on work visas for truck drivers remains in effect, raising questions about the future of the trucking industry and the safety of American roads.
