The administration of United States President Donald Trump has suspended the issuance of work visas for commercial truck drivers from Nigeria and other foreign countries, in a move aimed at protecting American jobs and public safety.
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced the decision in a statement on Thursday, stating that the suspension would take effect immediately.
“Effective immediately, we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers,” Mr Rubio said.
He explained that the growing number of foreign drivers on American roads is affecting employment opportunities for U.S. citizens and raising safety concerns.
“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,” Mr Rubio said.
The move comes as part of President Trump’s broader immigration crackdown since his return to office in January 2025.
In a related development, the Trump administration has introduced a $15,000 visa bond requirement under a 12-month pilot programme announced by the State Department. The measure targets countries with poor data systems and high rates of visa overstays.
Starting from Wednesday, foreign nationals intending to travel to the U.S. for business or tourism must deposit a bond ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 as a guarantee they will leave the country before their visas expire.
According to the State Department, the policy also applies to individuals who obtained “citizenship by investments without a residency requirement,” and such travelers will only be allowed entry through designated international airports participating in the pilot programme.
In addition, the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria has enforced stricter requirements for visa applicants, now mandating the disclosure of social media activity over the past five years.
“Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last five years on the DS-160 visa application form,” a statement by the embassy said. “Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit. Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.”
