Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a halt on the issuance of worker visas for commercial drivers, effective immediately. He made this declaration following a tragic incident in Florida, where an illegal immigrant truck driver was involved in a crash that killed three people. Speaking on X, Rubio stated, “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.” This statement highlights serious concerns regarding the safety and stability of the trucking industry.
The controversy was sparked by the case of Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old who entered the United States illegally. Singh was driving a commercial truck when he attempted an unauthorized U-turn on the Florida Turnpike, resulting in a catastrophic jackknife accident that claimed the lives of three passengers in a minivan. Investigations revealed that Singh had not passed the necessary English and road tests to obtain a commercial driver’s license.
Despite these glaring shortcomings, he received a full-term commercial license in Washington in July 2023, a decision that raised questions about the integrity of the licensing process. He had previously been granted a limited-term commercial driver’s license in California in 2024. This situation has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters, with California Governor Gavin Newsom engaging in a heated exchange with the Trump administration over Singh’s ability to gain legal work permits. Newsom’s office claimed Singh obtained his work permit during Trump’s presidency, but officials from the Department of Homeland Security confirmed he was denied in September 2020, only to receive approval in June 2021 under the Biden administration.
The implications of Singh’s case have garnered significant attention, particularly around issues of public safety and immigration policy. As Singh faces three counts of vehicular homicide, the ramifications of his illegal status and the circumstances surrounding his driver’s license continue to stir debate on commercial vehicle operation standards and the treatment of illegal immigrants in the U.S.
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