Steve Scherer, once Reuters’ Ottawa bureau chief, lost his job in a company cut. Because of immigration rules, he had to leave Canada despite owning a home and raising children there. In July 2025, he returned to the US for the first time in almost 30 years. Without a new journalism job, Scherer started driving for Uber in northern Virginia. In his Substack essay titled "My journey from foreign correspondent to Uber driver in Trump’s America," Scherer explains how this new role changed his view on immigration and economic insecurity. On his first morning, he picked up hotel workers, teachers, hospital staff, mechanics, and cleaners—many immigrants and Latinos—heading to work before dawn. One ride earned him less than $7, and over five hours, he made about $100. Scherer writes, "I didn’t know the immigration status of any of my clients. But I wondered how misguided and aggressive targeting of the very people who serve us breakfast, teach our children, fix our cars, clean our hotel rooms, and comfort our sick makes America great." Before, Scherer had reported on migrants crossing the Mediterranean from Libya and Tunisia to Italy and saw the crisis from outside. Now, he feels inside it, dependent on an app algorithm and seeing passengers’ struggles mirror his own. He says, "I am inside it, dependent on an algorithm, measuring my worth in five-dollar increments." His essay drew many responses. Journalist Matthew Tostevin wrote, "This is powerfully written Steve... Wishing the best for you and the family." Another reader shared how the media industry is full of displaced people like Scherer. Others said Scherer’s story echoed personal immigration struggles. Scherer clarifies he isn’t equating his position with that of undocumented migrants. He holds a US passport, is white, and has family support. Still, driving Uber shifted his understanding of vulnerability in America’s economy. After leaving Canada, his family was split across borders. His wife moved to Italy, his children joined her, before reuniting with Scherer in the US. He sold his home and rented a basement apartment in Virginia, trying to rebuild. Readers appreciated Scherer’s honest account of life controlled by app alerts and low payments, reflecting widespread freelancer anxieties. Scherer continues to live in Virginia, drive Uber, and look for new work. His essay was published on January 21, 2026.