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Homicide case against Indian driver in Florida triggers pause in US work visa for truckers | All we know
Harjinder Singh, accused of an illegal U-turn causing a crash that killed three, had a California truck licence obtained through a federal permit.
A homicide case involving an Indian lorry driver in Florida, following a crash that killed three people, has prompted the suspension of US visas for commercial truck drivers — the newest in a series of Trump administration steps to restrict foreign workers
The driver, Harjinder Singh, an Indian citizen, was behind the wheel at the time of the accident. Later reports confirmed that he had entered the United States illegally.
Posting on X on Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “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 US roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.”
Rubio’s remarks did not include data or specific examples to back up the claimed risks.
All we know
The decision follows a fatal collision on August 12 along the Florida Turnpike, involving a lorry driver who, according to the Department of Homeland Security, was residing in the country illegally.
The truck driver, accused of executing an unlawful U-turn, is a migrant from India. He had been granted a commercial driving licence in California after securing a federal work permit. On Tuesday, the Department of Transportation announced it had launched an inquiry into the crash.
Senior Republican figures, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have seized upon the incident to stoke political rivalry with California’s Democratic Governor, Gavin Newsom.
A nearby minivan struck Singh’s trailer as he made the turn. Singh and his passenger were not injured.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed on Monday that Singh, an Indian national, was in the United States unlawfully.
The crash swiftly became politicised, with allies of Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, placing blame on California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom.
Both DeSantis and Newsom have been cited as potential presidential contenders.
Homeland Security added that Singh obtained his commercial licence in California, one of 19 states that issue licences irrespective of immigration status, according to the National Immigration Law Center.
“Three lives lost because of Gavin Newsom. Because of California’s failed policies,” Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins said on Thursday at a press briefing in Stockton, California.
Following the August12 crash, Singh travelled to California, where he was later arrested by US Marshals in Stockton.
DeSantis dispatched Collins to California to supervise Singh’s transfer back to Florida, where he faces three counts of vehicular homicide as well as immigration offences. Collins, accompanied by law enforcement officers, escorted Singh onto the aircraft. A spokesperson for Newsom dismissed Collins’ trip as a “photo op” and criticised Florida authorities for allowing a “murder suspect walk.”
How many drivers will be affected?
According to the Associated Press, at most, only a few thousand of the nation’s estimated 3.5 million commercial lorry drivers are likely to be impacted by the new directive.
On Friday, the State Department clarified that the suspension applies to applicants in three visa categories, the most prominent being the H-2B visa for temporary workers.
Jeff Joseph, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, told Associated Press that “only roughly 1,500 visas for truck drivers were issued this fiscal year under the program, and 1,400 last year.”
The programme has been used to address what many analysts consider to be an ongoing shortage of commercial drivers. However, the number of H-2B visas is limited to 66,000 in most years, with lorry drivers accounting for only a very small share.
The State Department also cited two additional visa categories: the E-2, intended for those making significant investments in a US business, and the EB-3, designated for skilled professionals such as healthcare staff, IT workers and tradespeople like electricians.
