US Pauses Commercial Truck Driver Visas, Impacting 1,490 Annual H-2B Issuances

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on August 21, 2025, an immediate pause on the issuance of all worker visas for commercial truck drivers in the United States. The decision, effective immediately, was communicated via social media, with Rubio stating, > "Effective immediately we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers. The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers."

This significant policy shift follows a fatal crash on August 12, 2025, in Florida involving a commercial truck driver, Harjinder Singh. Singh, an Indian national who federal officials identified as being in the U.S. illegally, was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide after allegedly making an illegal U-turn that resulted in multiple fatalities. Authorities noted that Singh had not passed required English proficiency assessments.

The incident has ignited political debate, particularly between the Trump administration and California officials. While Singh obtained a commercial driver's license in California, Governor Gavin Newsom's office countered that Singh's work permit was issued by the federal government, and California cooperated with extradition efforts. This highlights ongoing tensions regarding immigration policies and state-level licensing.

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has expressed support for the pause, advocating for stricter scrutiny of commercial driver's licenses issued to non-domiciled individuals. The trucking industry faces a persistent driver shortage, estimated at around 60,000, with foreign-born drivers comprising approximately 18% of the workforce, a figure that doubled between 2000 and 2021. In the 2025 budget year, 1,490 H-2B visas were issued for truckers, slightly up from 1,400 the previous year.

This move aligns with the Trump administration's broader efforts to tighten immigration regulations for commercial drivers. In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating English proficiency for truck drivers, and the Department of Transportation has pledged increased enforcement. The State Department also confirmed it is reviewing records of over 55 million U.S. visa holders for potential violations, signaling a wider scrutiny of foreign nationals.