❓WHAT HAPPENED: The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has endorsed the Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement (SAFE) Act, a GOP-led effort to address unsafe practices in the trucking industry and shut down so-called “chameleon carriers” that often employ illegal immigrant drivers.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien, Representative Harriet Hageman (R-WY), and other congressional Republicans.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The legislation was introduced recently in Congress and is gaining traction with support from labor unions and lawmakers.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Chameleon carriers have gone unchecked for decades, harming and weakening America’s trucking industry. These unscrupulous operators jeopardize the safety of everyone on our roadways.” — Sean O’Brien.
🎯IMPACT: If passed, the SAFE Act would help detect and eliminate fraudulent trucking companies, improving safety and protecting rule-abiding truckers.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has announced its endorsement of the Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement (SAFE) Act, legislation introduced by Representative Harriet Hageman (R-WY), which aims to tackle the issue of “chameleon carriers,” trucking companies that repeatedly reopen under new identities to avoid enforcement after being shut down for violations. “Chameleon carriers have gone unchecked for decades, harming and weakening America’s trucking industry,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien stated, adding, “These unscrupulous operators jeopardize the safety of everyone on our roadways and threaten the livelihoods of truck drivers who follow the rules.”
American highways have seen a recent uptick in deadly vehicle accidents caused by illegal immigrant and noncitizen semi-truck drivers, many of whom received commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) from New York or California. The National Pulse reported in February that the Trump administration’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has shut down nearly 8,000 sham trucking schools in recent months as part of an effort to prevent illegal immigrant drivers from receiving CDL certifications. However, like fly-by-night trucking companies, these sham schools often reopen quickly under new names and false ownership.
Rep. Hageman’s SAFE Act would implement an automated tool to detect fraudulent carriers who have previously been shut down by regulators but are attempting to reopen under a new operating name and registration number, while still employing the same individuals and having the same ownership. If adopted, the bill would also enhance coordination between state and federal agencies, a key point of contention over several of the recent fatal crashes caused by illegal immigrants, with New York and California trying to blame federal databases for erroneously issued CDLs.
Importantly, the SAFE Act includes provisions to preserve due process, requiring human review for all registrations flagged. Rep. Hageman has emphasized the dangers posed by these companies, stating, “These companies game the system, ignore the law, and put American families at risk, all while punishing hardworking truckers who follow the rules.”
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