The Trump administration announced Thursday night that it has issued an immediate pause on the issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X, “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.”
Under current regulations, a foreign driver may obtain a U.S. commercial driver’s license but must have an employment authorization document.
Such documents include the temporary H-2B visa, which allows U.S. companies to hire foreign workers for temporary, seasonal or nonagricultural jobs. They are valid for up to nine months and require the company to demonstrate a labor shortage or the inability to hire a qualified U.S. worker.
Another option is permanent residency via an EB-3 visa, which is used to sponsor foreign drivers for permanent, long-term positions and provides a pathway to a green card. The permanent resident card, more commonly known as a green card, allows the individual to work permanently in the U.S. and is valid for 10 years.
The Trump administration’s recent moves targeting commercial driver work visas appear to be in reaction to headlines involving a fatal semitruck crash in Florida that killed three people.
Following the accident, Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Tuesday that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is investigating both the driver and White Hawk Carrier, the motor carrier that was involved.
This is a developing story.
The post BREAKING: Trump administration immediately pausing all new commercial truck driver work visas appeared first on FreightWaves.
