U.S. borders to both Mexico and Canada will remain closed to nonessential travel through at least September.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf announced last week that “shared land ports of entry” at the Canadian and Mexican borders would limit non-essential travel through September 21.
"We continue to work with our Canadian and Mexican partners to slow the spread of #COVID19," he wrote on Twitter. "Accordingly, we have agreed to extend the limitation of non-essential travel at our shared land ports of entry through September 21."
The border has been closed since March 18 and the closure has been extended every month since.
“We already told the United States that we’re of the idea that it’s extended because of what we have along the strip on their side,” Mexico Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said, referring to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the southwestern U.S., according to The Associated Press.
Canadian Public Safety Minister Bill Blair announced that Canada would also extend the closure of its border with the U.S. until September 21. In a follow-up tweet, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the governments were “taking this step to keep people in both our countries safe – because your health and safety is always our top priority.”
Cross-border workers like truck drivers, health care workers, and airline crews will still be permitted entry. Americans returning to the U.S. or Canadians headed back to Canada are also allowed to cross.
The U.S. has now reported more than 5.4 million cases of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. Mexico has reported more than 522,000 confirmed cases, with a general decrease since July. Canada reported about 124,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with a general decrease since May.
The DHS has also extended the closure of enrollment centers for trusted traveler programs, including Global Entry. The centers are now expected to reopen on September 8. Anyone who has an appointment before that day should reschedule online.
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