US Suspends Issuance of Worker Visas for Commercial Truck Drivers

On Aug. 21, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on X that the United States will pause all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers, effective immediately. The decision comes in the wake of a fatal crash in Florida involving an immigrant truck driver, which reignited concerns over road safety and the role of foreign operators in the US trucking industry.

“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,” writes Rubio.

Fatal Crash Sparks Action

The decision follows a fatal crash on Aug. 12 in St. Lucie County, Florida. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, a commercial semi-truck driver attempted an unauthorized U-turn, colliding with a minivan and killing all three of its occupants.

Authorities later determined that the truck driver had entered the US illegally through the Mexico border in 2018 and had obtained a commercial driver’s license in California. The driver, identified as Harneet Singh, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Aug. 18 and now faces removal proceedings, according to the US Homeland Security.

The case has fueled political tensions. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office says that the driver obtained a work permit during Donald Trump’s presidency. However, the spokesperson of the Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin argues that his permit was denied in 2020 under Trump and granted in June 2021 under President Joe Biden.

Trump’s Executive Orders on Trucking

The visa suspension aligns with President Donald Trump’s recent executive actions targeting commercial motor vehicle operations. On April 28, Trump signed the “Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for America’s Truck Drivers” order, reinstating and strengthening federal requirements that truck drivers must demonstrate English fluency to operate on US roads.

This followed Trump’s March 1 executive order (14224) declaring English the national language of the United States. The trucking directive emphasizes that drivers must be able to read traffic signs, communicate with law enforcement, and carry documentation in English.

“Proficiency in English should be a non-negotiable safety requirement. This is common sense,” Trump said, reports MBN.

Cross-Border Implications

Despite the broad suspension of all worker visas for truck drivers, logistics experts say that cross-border freight operations from Mexico and Canada remain unaffected.

Matt Silver, CEO, Cargado, explains that Mexican B1 drivers can enter the United States on business visitor visas, which allow them to haul freight across the border but not conduct cabotage. Meanwhile, Canadian drivers operate under reciprocal agreements with the United States, independent of worker visa programs.

“The vast majority of drivers on both borders follow these rules. For the small number who do not, the solution is not a blanket pause, it is enforcement,” says Silver.

Israel Delgado, President, Express Service Transport INC and Regional Vice President, CANACAR, says that the suspension mainly impacts operators applying under H-2B, E-2, and EB-3 visas to work inside the United States. In contrast, drivers crossing with B1/B2 visas and international licenses remain unaffected.

Addressing a Growing Driver Shortage

While the shortfall slightly improved from 81,258 in 2021 to 78,000 in 2022, industry forecasts project a deficit of over 160,000 drivers by 2031 without substantial reforms. Carriers have responded by increasing wages, enhancing benefits, and investing in training programs. At the same time, autonomous truck testing is accelerating as a possible long-term solution. In 2019, ATA warned that without proactive measures, the shortage could surpass 160,000 drivers as early as 2028.

Barriers to entry as a truck driver, according to the International Road Transport Union (IRU), include high qualification costs, lengthy licensing processes, and the minimum age requirement of 18 years.