The Trump administration has stopped issuing work visas for commercial truck drivers, citing concerns over safety and the impact on American employment.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision on X on Thursday night, stating that the increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailers on U.S. highways “is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.”
Under current regulations, foreign drivers are able to obtain U.S. commercial driver’s licenses but are required to hold a valid work authorization, such as an H-2B temporary visa or an EB-3 visa, which offers a path to permanent residency. The H-2B visa allows companies to hire foreign workers for up to nine months for temporary or non-agricultural jobs, provided they can prove a labor shortage. The EB-3 visa enables employers to sponsor foreign workers for long-term positions, granting them green cards valid for 10 years.
The administration’s move follows a fatal semitruck crash in Florida that killed three people just days earlier. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Tuesday that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is investigating both the driver and the trucking company involved, White Hawk Carrier.
