The Teamsters union said Wednesday it will file suit to block a controversial Bush administration plan to open the border to long haul Mexican truck traffic as early as Saturday.
Union officials said their attorneys have been told by government lawyers that the administration expects to receive approval from the Department of Transportation's inspector general to begin the program Friday.
Legislation passed by Congress prohibits the agency from going forward with the program until the inspector general certifies the government has met congressional requirements.
The Teamsters, other trucking and safety organizations and dozens of lawmakers have sought to block the program, which they contend is unsafe. The union is seeking an emergency injunction from the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
“There are clearly some serious issues that won't be resolved by Friday,” said Leslie Miller, a Teamsters spokeswoman.
Miller noted that an earlier report on the program from the inspector general called for improvements in the law enforcement database on Mexican drivers. The report also acknowledged that Mexico lacks a history of drug and alcohol testing for its drivers.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration did not confirm or deny the union's claim that the program will begin soon.
The agency said in a statement it was working closely with the inspector general “as his office completes an additional assessment of the program and we prepare a detailed response to that report.”
The inspector general's office has not yet released the report, said a spokeswoman, who declined to say when it would be released.
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