Border enforcement targets cabotage violations and revokes driver visas

U.S. border authorities are enforcing cabotage rules more strictly. The Department of Transportation shared three years of violation records with Customs and Border Protection. Officers now review these records electronically before drivers cross the border.

Foreign drivers holding B-1 visas may only transport international cargo. Hauling domestic freight inside the United States breaks federal law. Violations lead to visa cancellation or permanent revocation.

Reports indicate hundreds of Mexican drivers lost their visas this year. On September 3, seventeen visas were revoked in a single day at the Calexico East crossing. The revocations triggered a four-day blockade that halted commercial traffic and caused congestion.

Mexican trucking groups and state officials plan to request diplomatic meetings with U.S. consular staff. They want to address claims that some visas were canceled for violations that did not happen.

Lawmakers are also reviewing the issue. A proposed surface transportation bill includes a mandate for a Department of Transportation study on cabotage violations. The study would examine safety and economic impacts and gather input from drivers and industry groups.

Source: Transport Topics — https://www.ttnews.com/articles/mexican-truckers-talks-visas