Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jul 17: US President Donald Trump has announced plans to intensify action against undocumented immigrants working as commercial truck drivers, saying his administration will remove those found to be working illegally and create new opportunities for American military veterans in the trucking industry.
Speaking at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit on Wednesday, Trump linked the proposal to the recent death of Pennsylvania State Trooper Michael Pahira, alleging that the officer was killed by an undocumented immigrant operating a commercial truck.
Describing the move as a public safety measure, Trump said his administration would soon introduce what he called historic action to identify and remove undocumented commercial truck drivers from American roads.
He also alleged that some undocumented drivers lacked the ability to understand road signs and accused many of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, although he did not provide evidence to support those claims.
Trump said the administration intends to replace such drivers with military veterans, arguing that former service personnel possess valuable experience operating heavy vehicles.
As part of the proposal, he announced plans to automatically recognise relevant military driving experience for obtaining a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), allowing eligible veterans to transition more easily into trucking jobs.
According to Trump, veterans who have driven heavy military vehicles would qualify for commercial driving licences without undergoing the standard licensing process, making it easier for them to enter the civilian workforce.
He described the initiative as both an employment programme for former members of the armed forces and an effort to improve road safety.
Trump also criticised political opponents, claiming they opposed the proposal, while asserting that his administration would move forward with the plan.
The announcement came during a speech primarily focused on defence manufacturing and economic investment, where the President also unveiled nearly $10 billion in proposed projects related to shipbuilding, military technology and defence production in Pennsylvania.
Industry observers note that the US trucking sector has long faced a shortage of qualified drivers and increasingly depends on immigrant workers. A significant number of Sikh Americans are employed in the trucking industry as drivers and fleet owners, with the overwhelming majority working legally as US citizens, permanent residents or individuals authorised to work.
Under existing US regulations, commercial driving licences are issued by individual state governments. In certain cases, migrants who are legally authorised to work—such as those granted temporary work permits while their asylum claims are pending—may become eligible to apply for a CDL after meeting all statutory requirements, including passing the prescribed commercial driving tests.
The Trump administration has not yet released detailed guidelines explaining how it plans to identify undocumented commercial drivers, review existing commercial driving licences or implement the proposed enforcement measures.