3,200 Mexican Truckers Lose US Visas in Cabotage Crackdown

Key Details More than 3,200 Mexican truck drivers have lost their US authorization in recent months as federal authorities intensify enforcement of cabotage regulations. Pedro Lozano Martinez, president of the Nuevo Laredo Freight Carriers Association, confirmed the visa revocations have affected carriers operating through major cross-border commercial gateways. Why It Matters The visa cancellations stem from increased coordination between the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The two agencies merged their systems, allowing authorities to identify drivers previously flagged for potential cabotage violations - the illegal transportation of freight between two domestic US points by foreign carriers. What Drivers Should Know Many Mexican drivers don't realize their visas have been revoked until attempting to cross the border. Previously, DOT inspectors could issue warnings about cabotage violations during roadside inspections, but those findings rarely carried immigration consequences since DOT lacked visa authority. Now CBP automatically revokes visas through the integrated system, and drivers must surrender them at the border.