The U.S. will cease issuing employee visas for business truck drivers, Secretary of State Marco Rubio introduced Thursday. He mentioned the change was efficient instantly.
“The rising variety of overseas drivers working giant tractor-trailer vans on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” Rubio wrote in a put up on X.
A State Division spokesperson mentioned later Thursday the pause was completed “in an effort to conduct a complete and thorough overview of screening and vetting protocols used to find out their {qualifications} for a U.S. visa.”
The spokesperson famous it “applies to all nationalities and isn’t directed at any particular nation.”
The Trump administration previously months has taken steps to implement the requirement that truckers converse and browse English proficiently. The Transportation Division mentioned the goal is to enhance highway security following incidents wherein drivers’ capability to learn indicators or converse English might have contributed to site visitors deaths.
“As we have now seen with current lethal accidents, overseas truckers can pose dangers to American lives, U.S. nationwide safety, and overseas coverage pursuits,” the State Division spokesperson mentioned. “Making certain that each driver on our roads meets the best requirements is vital to defending the livelihoods of American truckers and sustaining a safe, resilient provide chain.”
The transfer comes amid a business truck driver scarcity within the U.S. In response to the American Trucking Affiliation, a commerce group, the trade is dealing with a scarcity of about 60,000 drivers.
In the meantime, the Trump administration additionally mentioned Thursday it’s reviewing greater than 55 million individuals who have legitimate U.S. visas for any violations that would result in deportation.
In a written reply to a query from the Related Press, the State Division mentioned all U.S. visa holders, which may embrace vacationers from many international locations, are topic to “steady vetting,” with a watch towards any indication they could possibly be ineligible for permission to enter or keep in the US.
Ought to such info be discovered, the visa will probably be revoked, and if the visa holder is within the U.S., she or he could be topic to deportation.
Since President Trump took workplace, his administration has centered on deporting migrants illegally within the U.S. in addition to holders of scholar and customer trade visas. The State Division’s new language means that the continuous vetting course of, which officers acknowledge is time-consuming, is way extra widespread and will imply even these authorised to be within the U.S. may abruptly see these permissions revoked.
