US revokes 20,000 visas for Mexican truckers as cabotage crackdown expands

“These operators returned to Mexico after their work visas were revoked,” Ramos said according to T21.

According to Ramos, roughly 30,000 foreign truck drivers have been removed from U.S. operations during the period, with Mexican drivers accounting for about two-thirds of the total.

The visa cancellations represent one of the most significant labor disruptions to hit the cross-border trucking industry in years. CANACAR officials said the loss of drivers has begun tightening capacity and contributing to upward pressure on freight rates in the U.S.

“The only thing that happened here was the supply-demand effect, where obviously the cost of freight in the United States has been starting to have an upward effect,” Ramos said.

While Canacar has not yet quantified the economic impact, Ramos said the effects could become more pronounced if freight demand strengthens across North America.

Related: Laredo summit debates driverless freight corridors, B-1 truckers

United States vows continued cabotage enforcement

The visa revocations come as U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has publicly defended the administration’s efforts to crack down on cabotage violations and other regulatory infractions involving foreign commercial drivers.

During a recent visit to Phoenix, Duffy said Mexican truck drivers are permitted to transport freight into the U.S. and return to Mexico but cannot legally haul loads between points entirely within the United States without proper authorization.

“What we’re doing is working with Customs and Border Patrol, and we’re pulling the visas of those Mexican drivers who violate our rules, and what this is about is making sure that the American companies, American drivers have these jobs and these loads,” Duffy told 12news.

According to Duffy, approximately 3,200 Mexican commercial drivers have had their U.S. visas revoked since January for alleged cabotage violations alone.

Duffy said the Department of Transportation is working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to identify and penalize violators.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reinstated English-language proficiency violations as an out-of-service offense last year, allowing inspectors to sideline drivers who cannot adequately communicate in English.

In response, Canacar has launched an English-language training program aimed at drivers and their families to help operators meet U.S. requirements and maintain eligibility for cross-border work.

Canadian carriers report no similar crackdown

While Mexican trucking companies have been directly affected by the visa revocations, Canadian carriers say they have not experienced similar enforcement actions.

Mike Millian, president of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada, said his organization is unaware of any Canada-based truck drivers losing B-1 visas or being arrested for violating U.S. cabotage laws.

“We have not received reports of Canadian truck drivers having visas revoked or being detained for cabotage violations,” Millian said.

Industry observers note that U.S. enforcement efforts have largely focused on activity along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Driver shortage concerns remain

The visa cancellations arrive at a time when North American trucking companies are already grappling with persistent driver shortages.

Canacar estimates Mexico currently faces a shortage of approximately 96,000 truck drivers. Ramos said nearly 30% of active drivers are older than 55, while only about 13% are younger than 25.

The International Road Transport Union has projected a global shortage of more than 2.8 million truck drivers by 2030.

Mexico holds top US trade spot in April

Mexico remained the largest U.S. trading partner in April, with two-way trade between the U.S. and Mexico totaled $86.04 billion in April, up 23.4% from the same month a year earlier, according to U.S. Census Bureau data analyzed by WorldCity. 

U.S. exports to Mexico totaled $35.34 billion, while imports reached $50.69 billion. 

Canada ranked second among U.S. trading partners with $64.8 billion in two-way trade during April, while Taiwan surged to third place at $29.6 billion.