Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Thursday that the issuance of worker visas for commercial drivers would be paused immediately following a deadly crash in Florida. The accident, which resulted in the deaths of three individuals, is being closely examined by U.S. authorities as a potential catalyst for new regulations regarding the safety and oversight of foreign truckers operating on American roads.
The incident took place on the Florida Turnpike in Fort Pierce, where Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant, was reportedly driving a commercial truck with a trailer. According to authorities, Singh attempted an unauthorized U-turn, which led to the trailer jackknifing and colliding with a minivan. The collision resulted in the death of all three occupants of the minivan.
Investigations into Singh’s background have revealed that he did not pass the required English and road tests before obtaining a commercial driver’s license. This has raised serious questions about the oversight and safety protocols in place for foreign truck drivers operating in the United States.
Concerns about the safety of foreign commercial drivers have escalated as Singh was granted a full-term commercial driver’s license in Washington in July 2023 despite not being eligible. He was also issued a limited-term commercial driver’s license in California in 2024. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and officials with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have been in a heated debate with the Trump administration over Singh’s case.
Newsom’s press office stated on X that Singh obtained a work permit during President Donald Trump’s first term. In response, Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, noted that Singh was denied in September 2020 under Trump but was granted a permit in June 2021 under the Biden administration. Singh has since been extradited to Florida to face three counts of vehicular homicide.