WASHINGTON, Aug 22 — The administration of President Donald Trump abruptly ceased the issuance of US visas for truck drivers yesterday, following a fatal accident that garnered national attention. This marks the latest significant action taken against foreign visitors..
WASHINGTON, Aug 22 — The administration of President Donald Trump abruptly ceased the issuance of US visas for truck drivers yesterday, following a fatal accident that garnered national attention. This marks the latest significant action taken against foreign visitors..
"Effective immediately, we are suspending all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers," stated Secretary of State
Marco Rubio on X.
The growing presence of foreign drivers managing large tractor-trailer trucks on American roads poses a threat to the safety of US citizens and undermines the livelihoods of American truckers,” he stated..
Rubio's decision followed the indictment of a truck driver who was accused of causing the deaths of three individuals on a Florida highway due to an unlawful U-turn.
Harjinder Singh, a native of India, is reported to have unlawfully entered the United States from Mexico and subsequently did not pass an English test following the incident, as stated by federal authorities.
The case has gathered wide media attention and has been highlighted by officials in Florida, controlled by Trump’s Republican Party, with the lieutenant governor flying to California to extradite Singh personally alongside immigrations agents yesterday.
The incident has acquired a political aspect, particularly because Singh obtained his commercial license in California and resided in that West Coast state, which is governed by the opposing Democratic Party that is against Trump's immigration enforcement.
"This incident was a avoidable disaster that resulted directly from irresponsible choices and was exacerbated by reprehensible shortcomings," stated Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
The office of California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that the federal government during Trump's administration had granted a work permit to Singh, who was seeking asylum, and that California had assisted in his extradition.
Prior to the crash, Republican legislators had already begun targeting foreign truck drivers, citing an increase in accidents while failing to present any evidence establishing a direct connection to immigrants.
In June, Duffy released a directive stating that truck drivers are required to communicate in English.
Truck drivers have historically been mandated to demonstrate basic English proficiency through tests; however, in 2016, under the administration of former President Barack Obama, officials were instructed not to remove truck drivers from the road solely due to language inadequacies
.The evolving identity of truck drivers
According to federal statistics, the population of foreign-born truck drivers in the United States increased more than twofold from 2000 to 2021, reaching a total of 720,000.
Drivers born outside the United States now constitute 18 percent of the industry—reflecting the overall US labor market, yet marking a shift for a profession traditionally associated with white, working-class males.
According to industry groups, over fifty percent of drivers born outside the country originate from Latin America, with significant increases in recent years from India and Eastern European countries, particularly Ukraine.
The arrival of foreign drivers has occurred as a result of demand.
A report published earlier this year by the financial firm altLine indicated that the United States is experiencing a deficit of 24,000 truck drivers, resulting in a weekly loss of $95.5 million for the freight industry due to undelivered goods.
Expanding restrictions on visas
Trump has long made opposition to immigration a signature issue, rising to political prominence in 2016 with vows to build a wall on the Mexican border.
Rubio has assumed a prominent position in Trump's initiatives by enforcing stricter regulations on visas.
This week, the State Department announced that it has revoked over 6,000 student visas since Trump assumed office—this figure is four times greater than the number during the corresponding period last year. An official also stated that all 55 million foreign nationals holding US visas are subject to "continuous vetting."
Rubio has mandated an examination of the social media profiles of applicants and has taken pride in expelling students who opposed Israel's actions in Gaza, utilizing a statute that permits him to revoke visas for individuals considered to be undermining US foreign policy objectives.
Over the weekend, the State Department also suspended visitor visas intended for critically injured children from Gaza to obtain medical treatment.
The decision was made following statements from Laura Loomer—a far-right activist affiliated with Trump, who has characterized the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack as a conspiracy—indicating that she had a conversation with Rubio and cautioned about "Islamic invaders" from Gaza. — AFP
WASHINGTON, Aug 25 — SpaceX has called off a scheduled test flight for its Starship megarocket on Sunday, citing the need for additional time to address issues, marking yet another setback for Elon Musk’s colossal project following a string of explosive failures.
WASHINGTON, Aug 25 — SpaceX has called off a scheduled test flight for its Starship megarocket on Sunday, citing the need for additional time to address issues, marking yet another setback for Elon Musk’s colossal project following a string of explosive failures.
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