My View

For far too long, Washington put illegal aliens ahead of American citizens. The Biden administration opened our border, undermined immigration enforcement, and allowed illegal labor to compete with Americans for jobs and wages.

President Donald Trump is reversing that betrayal. His new Freedom Haulers initiative sends a clear message: American jobs should go first to American workers, especially the veterans who risked everything to defend our nation.

Commercial trucking offers good-paying, family-sustaining careers that do not require a four-year college degree. These jobs are essential to our economy, our supply chains, and our national security. Yet under the Biden administration, illegal aliens and unqualified foreign drivers were allowed to enter the trucking industry while American veterans struggled to navigate bureaucratic obstacles to civilian employment.

That was backward. Trump is putting Americans first again.

A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. Operating one requires training, discipline, sound judgment, and the ability to communicate clearly. Drivers must be able to read highway signs, understand safety instructions, respond to law enforcement, and react quickly during emergencies.

In the hands of a trained professional, a semi-truck keeps America moving. In the hands of someone who cannot read our road signs, speak English, or legally work in this country, it becomes a dangerous weapon.

The ability to read and speak English is not an arbitrary requirement. It is a basic matter of public safety. Yet some states issued commercial driver’s licenses to foreign nationals who were not legally qualified to receive them. Others failed to enforce longstanding English-proficiency rules designed to protect everyone on the road.

It is both shocking and infuriating that illegal aliens who are not legally authorized to work in this country are obtaining commercial licenses at the same time American veterans returning home with valuable skills, extensive training, and proven discipline are encountering bureaucratic roadblocks.

This situation is unacceptable on so many levels, and it is why I fully support the Freedom Haulers initiative, which will help veterans transition into the trucking industry while removing dangerous and unqualified illegal-alien drivers from our roads. The initiative expands expedited licensing opportunities, cuts unnecessary red tape, connects veterans with employers, and helps those with military driving experience translate their skills into commercial careers.

More than 40,000 veterans have already used the military skills test waiver to obtain commercial licenses. The administration is now extending the eligibility period from one year after leaving military service to two years, giving more veterans the opportunity to use the experience they gained while serving our country.

That is what an America First government looks like.

For four years, the Biden administration prioritized illegal aliens over the Americans it was elected to serve. Trump is restoring the proper order: secure the border, enforce the law, protect American workers, and honor those who wore the uniform.

This debate is not about race, ethnicity, or where someone was born. Legal immigrants have made enormous contributions to America’s trucking industry, and they remain an important part of our economy. The distinction is simple: legal versus illegal, qualified versus unqualified, and America First versus America last.

Our veterans defended this country. They should have the first opportunity to build successful careers in the country they defended.