The largest trucking trade group in the U.S. is urging the Trump administration to take stronger action against unauthorized foreign drivers operating within the country.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) — which represents over 37,000 motor carriers and suppliers nationwide — has sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), raising concerns about foreign nationals, particularly from Mexico, violating U.S. trucking laws.
According to the letter obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation, the ATA is calling for stricter enforcement of cabotage laws, which prohibit foreign drivers from transporting goods between two points within the U.S.
“A foreign driver engaged in cabotage is not a technicality or a minor paperwork violation,” wrote ATA President Chris Spear to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. “It is outright lawbreaking that suppresses wages and work for American truck drivers.”
Spear added that U.S. trucking companies hiring unauthorized foreign drivers gain an unfair competitive edge, hurting law-abiding businesses and threatening American jobs.
Under existing law, Mexican and Canadian drivers can enter the U.S. to deliver international shipments or pick up cargo for export. However, they are not permitted to haul freight solely within U.S. borders — a practice strictly limited to U.S.-licensed drivers.
Despite these rules, the ATA says it has received a growing number of complaints about U.S. carriers illegally using Mexican B-1 visa drivers for domestic routes. The group says this issue has persisted for years and is getting worse.
In 2019, two Arizona trucking companies were indicted for employing unauthorized Mexican drivers, paying them lower wages to cut costs. Both companies’ owners were convicted. One company reportedly made $2.4 million before being shut down; the other made $1.3 million.
“These are not isolated bad actors — they are part of a pattern of willful lawbreaking that undermines the integrity of our supply chain,” Spear wrote.
The ATA is urging DHS — which has sole authority over cabotage enforcement — to dedicate more resources to investigating and penalizing these violations. Spear argues that targeting even a small group of rule-breakers would help restore fairness across the industry.
The association has publicly supported the Trump administration’s broader efforts to tighten immigration and commercial driving regulations. In April, President Trump signed an executive order reinstating stricter English-language requirements for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders. The ATA praised the move, saying it helps improve road safety and professionalism.
Concerns over driver qualifications intensified following a deadly crash in Florida this past August. The truck driver involved — an illegal immigrant from India — was later found to lack basic English skills and failed to understand U.S. road signs. The ATA and Trump officials both questioned how the driver obtained a commercial license in California.
As of publication, the Department of Homeland Security has not responded to the ATA’s letter or media requests for comment.