CHANDIGARH: The United States has decided to stop issuing work visas for commercial truck drivers after a deadly crash, involving an Indian driver staying illegally in the country, drew national attention. This move which might impact Indian drivers who were hoping to work in the US transportation industry.
Announcing this move, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X, `` 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.’’
A few days back a Punjabi-origin truck driver was charged with killing three people on a highway in Turnpike of Florida, while making an illegal U-turn and collided with a passenger van.
According to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Harjinder Singh, who is from India, allegedly entered the United States illegally from Mexico and failed an English examination after the crash.
The police said he attempted to make an illegal U-turn through an “Official Use Only” access point blocking traffic and causing the fatal crash that resulted in the deaths of three people.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has launched an investigation into a crash that killed three people.
In April, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating that commercial truck drivers in the US are proficient in Englsih.
Recently, US Citizenship and Immigration Services also wrote on X,`` Protecting the integrity of our lawful immigration system to make America safe again is our top priority. We’ve restored our robust screening and vetting capabilities so we can detect aliens with harmful intent and deter them from trying to enter the U.S. Immigration fraud is a crime we take seriously. Aliens who use false information or deceitful practices to unfairly obtain immigration advantages will face serious consequences.’’