"We are suspending all work visas for commercial truck drivers, effective immediately," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on 21/8. "The growing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailers on US roads is endangering lives and undermining the livelihoods of American truckers."
 |
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House on 27/6. Photo: AFP |
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House on 27/6. Photo: AFP
The move follows an 17/8 accident on a Florida highway where a tractor-trailer made an illegal U-turn, killing three people. The driver, Harjinder Singh, an Indian national, had entered the US illegally from Mexico. Singh failed the required English language test administered by authorities.
The accident garnered significant media attention and became a focus for Florida's Republican-led government. The incident also took on political overtones because Singh's driver's license was issued in Democrat-controlled California. On 21/8, Florida's lieutenant governor traveled to California with federal agents to extradite Singh for prosecution.
The Trump administration holds California Governor Gavin Newsom responsible, as California is among the states that allow undocumented immigrants to take driving tests and obtain licenses. Governor Newsom's office responded that the federal government under Trump had granted Singh a work permit and that the state cooperated in handing over the suspect.
Driver Singh making a U-turn on a US highway, causing the accident on 17/8. Video: X/Breaking911
To meet US demand, the number of foreign-born truck drivers doubled between 2000 and 2021, reaching 720,000, representing 18% of the transportation workforce, according to federal statistics.
Republicans had targeted this group even before the Florida incident, citing rising accident rates, although without providing evidence linking the accidents to immigrants.
Truck drivers in the US must pass a commercial driver's license exam, which includes assessing basic English proficiency, such as understanding road signs. A 2016 guideline under former President Barack Obama directed authorities not to disqualify truck drivers solely based on language skills.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a directive in June mandating English proficiency for truck drivers, reversing the 2016 guideline.
Nhu Tam (Reuters, AFP)
