US suspends truck driver work visas after fatal Florida crash involving Punjabi driver
The crash claimed three lives: a 30-year-old man driving the minivan, a 37-year-old woman, and a 54-year-old man, all of whom died at the scene
PTC Web Desk: The US government has announced an immediate suspension of work visas for commercial truck drivers following a fatal road accident in Florida involving a Punjabi driver. The decision was confirmed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who made the announcement through his official social media account.
Rubio wrote: “Effective immediately, we are halting the issuance of all worker visas for commercial truck drivers. The growing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on American roads is putting citizens’ lives at risk and undermining the livelihood of American truckers.”
The move comes in the aftermath of a horrific crash in Florida last week. A video circulating on social media showed a semi-truck making a sudden illegal U-turn on the highway. At the same moment, an oncoming minivan collided with the rear of the truck and was crushed underneath.
The truck was being driven by 28-year-old Harjinder Singh, who, according to investigators, had entered the US illegally. The crash claimed three lives: a 30-year-old man driving the minivan, a 37-year-old woman, and a 54-year-old man, all of whom died at the scene. Eyewitnesses described the incident as devastating, with the minivan completely trapped under the truck’s trailer.
Officials said Singh’s reckless maneuver and illegal immigration status triggered the unprecedented policy shift. For the first time, a single driver’s actions have had a direct impact on the entire trucking visa programme, leaving thousands of prospective foreign drivers in uncertainty.
The suspension is expected to have far-reaching consequences for America’s supply chain, already grappling with a shortage of truck drivers.