In the wake of the crash in Florida that killed three innocent Americans, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is taking decisive action to protect lives and uphold the rule of law by announcing a pause on worker visas for foreign truck drivers following the deadly incident.
The crash that sparked Rubio’s response took place on the Florida Turnpike near Fort Pierce, when 28-year-old Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant, attempted an illegal U-turn in a commercial truck. The maneuver caused the trailer to jackknife directly into the path of a minivan. All three occupants of the minivan were killed in the horrific collision.
"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," Rubio wrote on X.
Effective immediately we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) August 21, 2025
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.
The crash was a result of the failures by state and federal systems meant to safeguard American roads. Investigations have revealed that Singh should never have been behind the wheel to begin with. Despite entering the United States illegally, Singh somehow obtained a full-term commercial driver’s license (CDL) in Washington state in July 2023, even though he failed the required English and road tests. He was also later granted a limited-term CDL in California in 2024.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) press office claimed that Singh received a work permit during President Donald Trump’s first term. However, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin pushed back, clarifying that Singh was denied a work permit in September 2020 under the Trump administration — and only granted one later, in June 2021, under former President Joe Biden.
