Border Patrol accuses Canadian trucker of violating cabotage laws

U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) says that a Canadian truck driver faces prosecution after being caught hauling freight between two cities in New Mexico.

A Canadian truck driver was stopped by agents in Las Cruces, New Mexico for “conducting unauthorized domestic freight operations,” USBP said in an August 10, 2026, online statement.

USBP accused the truck driver of violating cabotage laws, which prevent foreign motor carriers and visa holders from transporting goods or passengers between two points within the United States.

“By violating the terms of his nonimmigrant visa—hauling cargo from Deming to Los Lunas—the driver now faces prosecution and subsequent deportation,” USBP said.

USBP has focused on violation of cabotage laws over the past year, with most of the enforcement targeting Mexican truck drivers at the southern border.

“The enforcement of cabotage laws is vital to protecting the U.S. economy and ensuring fair competition within the domestic transportation industry. By enforcing these laws, Border Patrol agents help preserve opportunities for U.S. truck drivers and transportation companies, ensuring that American workers remain competitive in the marketplace,” USBP previously stated.