L.A.-Long Beach ports brace for TWIC registration
TWIC registration at ports will begin in mid-December; industry worries that about 20 percent of truckers, the majority of whom are Latino immigrants, may not pass the background checks
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced last week that the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports will begin enrollment in a new national security program in mid-December. The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program, which began 16 October at the Port of Wilmington in Delaware, will require port workers across the country to undergo background checks and register with the government to obtain clearance to enter the ports. There has been concern locally that as much as 20 percent of port truckers, the majority of whom are Latino immigrants, may not pass the background checks due to their immigration status. This program is another headache for port truckers, who are preparing for an impending clean air plan that could cause upheaval in the local trucking industry.
