Austin, Texas — Texas Governor Greg Abbott repealed an immigration order that had forced additional inspections on every commercial vehicle entering the U.S. from Mexico, a rule that had caused more than 30‑hour traffic backups at the border.

The order, issued in late 2025, aimed to curb the flow of migrants and drugs by adding a mandatory inspection step for all trucks crossing the U.S./Mexico border. Truckers and freight shippers reported that the new checkpoints stretched wait times to over a full day, forcing drivers to wait in line for hours and delaying deliveries across the Southwest.

According to the American Trucking Association, the inspections were “wholly flawed, redundant and adding considerable weight on an already strained supply chain.” In 2025, the Association estimated that the added delays cost the industry millions of dollars in idle time and fuel consumption. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported that the new process increased inspection time by an average of 90 minutes per vehicle.

What This Means for Drivers

CDL‑A holders who routinely cross the border will no longer face the mandatory inspection checkpoint, allowing them to resume their regular schedules. Owner‑operators who had to wait for extended periods will see a significant reduction in overnight layovers, improving earnings and vehicle utilization. Fleet managers can now better predict transit times and avoid costly rescheduling of shipments to meet customer deadlines.

With the repeal, trucks that previously had to detour to secondary inspection facilities will return to the main border crossings, reducing the average travel time by roughly two hours per crossing. Drivers will also benefit from fewer regulatory interruptions, allowing them to maintain compliance with FMCSA regulations without additional administrative burden.

Industry Reaction

The American Trucking Association welcomed the decision, stating that the repeal removes a “major bottleneck” that had threatened to derail supply chains for trucking companies hiring across the Southwest. Many carriers, especially those operating OTR routes, noted that the change will help them meet delivery windows and avoid penalties for late shipments.

Local trucking associations in Texas and Arizona have called for continued monitoring of border operations to ensure that the removal of the inspection order does not lead to new security gaps. Meanwhile, advocacy groups for migrant workers expressed relief that the order’s enforcement would have imposed harsher scrutiny on commercial vehicles.

Key Points

• Gov. Greg Abbott repealed the border inspection order on September 10, 2026.
• The order had caused more than 30‑hour traffic backups at U.S./Mexico crossings.
• American Trucking Association criticized the inspections as flawed and redundant.
• Nearly $400 billion worth of goods were imported from Mexico in 2025, underscoring the economic impact of the delay.

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