No more visas for foreign truck drivers. It is the news that has gone around the country after a fatal accident. The U.S. is halting visas (H-2B, E-2 and EB-3) for foreign truckers after a deadly crash involving several foreign drivers. The government has decided to put a stop to visa issuance because it believes that truckers from other countries are putting domestic drivers at risk.
What happened?
On August 21, 2025, a foreign truck driver caused an accident by making an illegal turn with his trailer in Florida. The crash left three people dead, and the driver did not even understand English and could barely answer two of the twelve basic questions in the language test.
From that moment, the case became a media bomb and a direct wake-up call to the White House and the Department of Transportation. In fact, this is not the first time the issue has been discussed: there was already an executive order from President Trump that tightened language requirements, but this case has set off all the alarms.
Marco Rubio gives the order to halt visas
The person who took the step was Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who announced on X that visas were being suspended. According to him, the massive entry of foreign truckers “puts lives at risk and threatens the jobs of American truckers” and for that reason the decision has been made to temporarily pause visas while the entire selection process is reviewed.
In other words, they are going to review how the issue is being handled to know what is happening with the visas.
Which visas does the measure affect?
The halt affects the work visas most used by truckers: H-2B, E-2 and EB-3. The H-2B category is the most common and allows temporary hiring of foreign workers in sectors with labor shortages, such as transportation. On the other hand, other visas such as B1/B2, mostly used for tourism or business (and that many Canadian drivers use to operate), are not included in the measure.
American truckers applaud…
American Trucking Associations has supported the government’s decision, but has asked that it not remain only about visas. They also demand stricter control over licenses, because there are fraudulent centers that are granting driver’s licenses to people who do not have the minimum preparation necessary to get behind the wheel of a heavy truck.
How long will it last?
For now, there is no end date. The State Department, along with the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security, is carrying out a full review of the system. They have to ensure that every driver who receives a visa is truly qualified, and that they can communicate properly in case of emergency or simply to understand a traffic sign. Nothing extraordinary, but something that at the moment was not being guaranteed.
“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” –Marco Rubio (U.S. Secretary of State)
Road safety, economy, and a complicated balance
The problem is not only safety. It is also economic. The United States relies heavily on foreign truckers to keep its logistics system running. Stopping the arrival of new drivers abruptly could have side effects: delays, product shortages, more pressure on local drivers… But for the authorities, the situation cannot continue like this. They must ensure that everything works correctly before more people are harmed.
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.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) August 21, 2025