# Blockade in Mexicali Ends – Dispute Over Thousands of B-1 Visas Remains **Category:** Operational Alerts | **Source:** Frachtportal Redaktion | **Published:** 2026-09-07 | **Updated:** 2026-09-12 **Tags:** MEXICALI, CALEXICO EAST, B1 Visum, Cancar, Kabotage, Grenzverkehr, USA, Mexiko, LKW Transport, Tijuana, Otay Mesa, Laredo, Colombia-Solidarity, Logistik News, Transport News, Fracht News, Speditions News, Supply Chain News, Zoll News, Frachtportal News, Seefracht, Schienentransport, Digitalisierung > Mexican truck drivers have ended their blockade at the California border. However, the dispute over withdrawn B-1 visas and alleged cabotage violations continues. --- Mexican truck drivers blocked the commercial border crossing at Mexicali–Calexico East for several days. The protest was directed against the revocation of B-1 visas by US authorities. On Friday, the action was expanded to the San Luis Río Colorado–Yuma crossing. Since Sunday noon, the blockades have ended. Approximately 300 drivers withdrew their vehicles after a round of talks with authorities in Baja California was arranged. A permanent solution does not yet exist. The drivers are therefore threatening new protests if the talks produce no results. With a B-1 visa, Mexican drivers are permitted to bring international shipments into the United States or pick them up there. However, purely domestic transportation between two points within the United States is generally not allowed. This is referred to as cabotage. The dispute centers on exactly this distinction. According to CANACAR, individual US officials also classify certain movements with empty trailers as violations. For drivers and dispatchers, it is apparently not always clear which empty movements still qualify as international transport and which already constitute US domestic transport. CANACAR estimates that more than 25,000 visas have been revoked along Mexico's northern border. Approximately 4,000 cases are said to have affected Baja California or the Tijuana and Mexicali region. Official figures from the US government are not available on this matter. For logistics, this is problematic. When a driver loses his visa, he effectively becomes unavailable for cross-border operations immediately. This results in transshipments, driver changes, longer wait times, and additional costs. Separately, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is launching a 90-day pilot program at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge near Laredo starting September 14. Empty tractors and trailers can be cleared there from Monday to Friday starting at 07:00. However, this program has no direct connection to the visa dispute in Mexicali. --- For USA–Mexico traffic, document the entire tour process cleanly. This includes freight documents, loading and unloading locations, empty runs, trailer changes, and the connection to the international shipment. Empty trailers in particular are a sore point. Dispatch should verify before the trip whether the planned movement is demonstrably part of an import or export order. Verbal agreements are hardly sufficient in case of dispute. Shippers must reckon with fewer available drivers, possible transshipments, and longer standby times. Border blockades can also flare up again at short notice. An alternative crossing point and a second driver pool are therefore advisable. In short: Not only the freight, but also every empty run must be documented cleanly and traceable in USA–Mexico traffic. --- The first blockade began on September 3, 2026 in Mexicali. The commercial crossing Mexicali–Calexico East was affected. The protests were extended to San Luis Río Colorado–Yuma. Both blockades were ended on September 6. According to driver reports, the trigger was the revocation of 17 visas in a single day. CANACAR estimates the total number of revoked visas at over 25,000. There is no confirmation of this estimate by U.S. authorities. Approximately 4,000 cases are attributed to Tijuana, the region, or all of Baja California depending on the source. Official U.S. data shows a 6.6 percent decline in incoming trucks at Otay Mesa in 2025. The Laredo pilot program begins on September 14, lasts 90 days, and applies only to empty tractors and trailers. ## Related Entities ### Countries - [United States of America](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/us) - [Mexico](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/mx) ### Glossary - [Customs clearance](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/customs-clearance) - [Shipment](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/shipment) - [Customs duty](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/customs-duty) - [Customs clearance](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/customs-clearance-4) - [customs clearance control](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/customs-clearance-control) - [Alternative Transportation](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/alternative-transportation) - [Cabotage](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/cabotage-2) - [Customs clearance](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/customs-clearance-6) - [Customs clearance](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/customs-clearance-2) - [Customs Clearance Export Seaport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/customs-clearance-export-seaport) - [violation](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/violation) - [empty trip](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/empty-trip-2) - [border processing facility](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/border-processing-facility) - [border clearance agreement](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/border-clearance-agreement-2) - [Road freight contract](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/road-freight-contract) - [Tariff Phase-Out Period](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/tariff-phase-out-period) --- *Canonical URL: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/blockade-in-mexicali-beendet-streit-um-tausende-b-1-visa-bleibt-20260907182357](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/blockade-in-mexicali-beendet-streit-um-tausende-b-1-visa-bleibt-20260907182357)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/blockade-in-mexicali-beendet-streit-um-tausende-b-1-visa-bleibt-20260907182357](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/blockade-in-mexicali-beendet-streit-um-tausende-b-1-visa-bleibt-20260907182357)*