U.S. halts issuing worker visas for commercial truck drivers [View all]

Source: CBS News/AP

Updated on: August 22, 2025 / 6:41 AM EDT


The U.S. will stop issuing worker visas for commercial truck drivers, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Thursday. He said the change was effective immediately.

"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 in a post on X.

A State Department spokesperson said later Thursday the pause was done "in order to conduct a comprehensive and thorough review of screening and vetting protocols used to determine their qualifications for a U.S. visa." The spokesperson noted it "applies to all nationalities and is not directed at any specific country."

The Trump administration in the past months has taken steps to enforce the requirement that truckers speak and read English proficiently. The Transportation Department said the aim is to improve road safety following incidents in which drivers' ability to read signs or speak English may have contributed to traffic deaths.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-halts-issuing-worker-visas-for-commercial-truck-drivers/