Rubio halts work visas for truck drivers citing serious safety concerns

Fox News is reporting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced a pause on work visas for foreign commercial truck drivers following a deadly accident in Florida. The move has garnered praise from conservatives who believe that foreign drivers are endangering American lives and taking away jobs from American truckers.

The decision comes after a tragic crash in Florida involving an illegal immigrant from India who allegedly killed three people while driving a truck. Questions have been raised about how the suspect, Harjinder Singh, obtained a commercial driver’s license, as he reportedly failed English proficiency and road sign tests.

Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, called the move “long overdue” and emphasized that foreign truck drivers should not be brought in from other countries. She expressed concerns about the qualifications of these drivers and stressed the importance of ensuring road safety.

Lora Ries, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, echoed these sentiments, stating that the issue is about both road safety and immigration integrity. She called for a thorough analysis of all current commercial truck drivers using visas or employment authorization documents to obtain driver’s licenses.

On the other hand, not everyone agrees with Rubio’s decision. David Bier, the CATO Institute’s director of immigration studies, criticized the move, calling it “absurd” and questioning the impact it will have on the already existing truck driver shortage.

The Trump administration has been implementing various immigration reforms, including mass deportation efforts and a review of millions of people with U.S. visas. A State Department spokesperson confirmed that they are continuously vetting over 55 million foreigners holding valid U.S. visas.

Overall, the decision to pause work visas for truck drivers has sparked a debate on immigration policies and road safety. It remains to be seen how this move will impact the trucking industry and the American workforce.

This article was written by Cameron Arcand for Fox News Digital. For more updates on politics and immigration, follow Cameron on Twitter: @cameron_arcand.