The United States of America has stopped issuing all truck drivers worker visas. This was announced by the U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“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,” said Secretary Rubio.
The move comes after an Indian driver killed three people while making an illegal U-Turn on the highway in Florida.
Apart from stopping the issuance of truck drivers worker visas, the United States has also made it mandatory for all licenced drivers to speak, write and understand the English language.
This requirement is now part of federal regulations that the Department of Transport is mandated with enforcing. Drivers who are stopped for an inspection are put out of service if they are unable to demonstrate that they can speak and write in English.
The driver in the deadly Florida truck crash was identified as Harjinder Singh and is currently facing vehicular homicide charges and immigration laws violation. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Singh made the illegal turn on the highway about 50 miles north of West Palm Beach.
A minivan that was driving on the next lane was unable to avoid Singh’s trailer which had created a blockade across the road. The minivan crashed into the trailer killing two passengers and the driver.
READ MORE: US starts to review all issued visas for potential cancellations
Reports say that Singh entered the United States through the southern border where he crossed into California in September 2018 and was processed for fast-track deportation by the first Trump administration.
He then claimed fear of being sent back to India to US Citizenship and Immigration Services, and was released on a $5,000 immigration bond in January 2019. He has remained in immigration proceedings since then.
