US President Donald Trump announced the 'Freedom Haulers' initiative on Thursday at the White House. The program is a joint effort by the US Departments of Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Labor, and Defense.
The initiative aims to connect military veterans with trucking jobs and replace undocumented immigrant truck drivers. Sources differ on the primary emphasis, with some highlighting veteran employment and others focusing on the removal of immigrant drivers.
Under the new rules, veterans with heavy vehicle experience from the military can skip standard road tests to obtain a commercial driver's license. Those without prior trucking experience will undergo an expedited licensing process.
Trump stated that the administration has removed more than 24,000 non-English-speaking commercial drivers from behind the wheel. He also claimed the administration forced states to cancel more than 28,000 commercial driver's licenses unlawfully issued to illegal aliens.
Other reports indicate the US administration canceled approximately 24,000 immigrant truck drivers' licenses in the past year for not meeting English proficiency requirements. This creates a discrepancy with the figure of more than 28,000 licenses cited for being unlawfully issued.
Administration officials defend the policy
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the initiative eliminates unnecessary barriers for veterans transitioning into civilian careers. He noted that these are great-paying jobs, ranging from $80,000 to $100,000-plus a year.
Trump accused former US President Joe Biden of opening doors to millions of immigrants. He pointed to several fatal crashes allegedly involving illegal immigrants to argue for the policy change, stating the initiative will improve highway safety.
Trump said 34 states have joined the Freedom Haulers program. He urged all 50 US states and Washington, D.C., to participate in the program.
The announcement was held alongside senior administration officials and trucking industry leaders. Acting US Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling and US Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins were present at the event.