Feds halt trucking visas after deadly crashes; Colorado widow calls for stronger reforms
By Tori Mason
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COLORADO (KCNC) — The federal government has halted issuing new employment visas for commercial truck drivers, citing urgent safety concerns. The sudden move comes in the wake of a series of deadly crashes, including one in Florida earlier in 2025 involving a foreign driver who investigators say was not properly licensed or vetted.
Victims’ families and industry leaders have long called for stricter oversight in trucking, even as the nation faces a shortage of about 60,000 drivers.
For Deann Miller, the announcement feels like a start to greater reform.
Her husband, Scott Miller, was killed in a 2024 crash on Highway 285 caused by an undocumented driver who did not have a valid commercial driver’s license. The driver, Ignacio Cruz-Mendoza, served seven months in jail before being deported.
Scott, a retired trucker himself, had built a career around safety.
“He was one of the safest CDL truck drivers out there,” Deann told CBS Colorado. “He always used to tell my daughter, ‘Watch out for trucks. You never know who’s behind the wheel.’ And guess what happens to him? He gets taken out by a truck driver.”
The irony of Scotts tragic death is still part of the grieving process for his family.
Deann points to multiple system failures, including the improperly secured load and the company’s history of violations. Monique Trucking, the company that employed Cruz-Mendoza, was later issued a cease-and-desist order after investigators uncovered 17 prior safety violations.
“How many does it take to shut a company down?” Deann posed the question. “One should be enough,” she asserted.
The suspension of visas highlights what many industry leaders say has been a regulatory blind spot.
Greg Fulton, the president of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, says oversight of foreign drivers has been lacking for years.
“It’s a blind spot, but it’s a very serious blind spot when we have people on public highways driving a truck that’s 80,000 pounds in weight,” Fulton said. “If they’re not adequately trained or able to understand the rules, they become a danger to all of us out there.”
Fulton says Colorado’s steep, winding mountain highways make driver qualifications even more critical.
Despite the labor crunch, the American Trucking Association supports the halt on visas, saying safety must take priority. Some lawmakers in Washington D.C. agree.
“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,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X.
Deann Miller is quick to reject claims that America’s driver shortage justifies loosening standards.
“It’s not because guys don’t want to drive anymore,” Deann said. “It’s because companies don’t want to pay a decent wage. Truck driving used to be a profession where you could make good money. Now, it’s about cutting corners and people are dying because of it.”
Deann has since joined advocacy efforts, helping states pass legislation that will tighten oversight of non-domiciled drivers.
Dean also said that real reform requires mandatory English proficiency for all CDL drivers, medical and drug testing, and a reinstatement of staffed weigh stations to inspect trucks and drivers.
“My husband is dead,” Deann Miller said through tears. “He got two years of retirement. He was a hardworking man, a grandfather. He was supposed to be here for me, for our family. You don’t just kill one person, you kill the whole family.”
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