The U.S. government has stopped giving out work visas for commercial truck drivers as of August 21, 2025, after a deadly crash in Florida involving a non-citizen truck driver.
Why it matters: The pause is meant to address concerns over road safety and to protect American truckers' jobs. Federal officials said too many foreign drivers were on U.S. highways without proper oversight or training.
- Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association praised the move, saying, "Pausing visas for commercial truck drivers will help ensure only qualified individuals get licensed."
- The American Trucking Associations also agreed, calling for stricter training and enforcement for drivers coming from outside the country.
What happened in Florida: The government action comes after an August 12 crash on the Florida Turnpike where a non-citizen driver, Harjinder Singh, allegedly made an illegal U-turn, leading to three deaths. Singh did not have legal citizenship status but was able to get a commercial license.
- Officials are blaming some states, like Washington and New Mexico, for not following federal rules on driver licensing.
- A federal audit to check how states issue CDLs to non-citizens started in late June 2025 and is ongoing, according to Secretary Marco Rubio.
The Department of Homeland Security has said it will take further steps to prevent non-citizens from getting commercial licenses.