Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced he will lift the ban on non-essential travel across land border ports of entry in November 2021. The change will apply to travelers who provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. All foreign born nationals crossing land borders must be fully vaccinated by January 2022.
The announcement will allow fully vaccinated foreign-born nationals to enter for non-essential purposes including tourism, shopping, and to visit friends or relatives. As reported by Breitbart Texas, the ban has been in place since March 2020.
“In alignment with the new international air travel system that will be implemented in November, we will begin allowing travelers from Mexico and Canada who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to enter the United States for non-essential purposes, including to visit friends and family or for tourism, via land and ferry border crossings,” Mayorkas said. “Cross-border travel creates significant economic activity in our border communities and benefits our broader economy. We are pleased to be taking steps to resume regular travel in a safe and sustainable manner,” he explained.
The announcement included a provision that will require all foreign-born nationals seeking entry at land border ports of entry for any purpose to show proof of full vaccination. This mandate will impact truck drivers, students, and healthcare workers.
This move has the potential to affect the importation of goods across busy land ports of entry if commercial truck drivers refuse vaccination. According to CBP, the agency records more than 6 million truck crossings annually along the southwest border. Any disruption to this flow would be noticeable as the trucks account for more than 70% of imported goods by value from Mexico, according to the United States Department of Transportation.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
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