Reopen land, ferry borders

U.S. to reopen land, ferry borders next month to vaccinated travelers from Canada and Mexico

Rep. Brian Higgins, who has been one of the most outspoken lawmakers pushing for the border reopening, made the announcement in a statement late Tuesday.

By ANDY BLATCHFORD

The United States will lift Covid-19 restrictions at its land and ferry borders next month to fully vaccinated, discretionary travelers from Canada and Mexico.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas made the long-awaited announcement late Tuesday.

“Cross-border travel creates significant economic activity in our border communities and benefits our broader economy," Mayorkas said in a statement that did not offer a precise November date for when the measures will be eased back for nonessential travelers.

Starting in January 2022, the U.S. government will also require that all inbound foreign visitors — even essential travelers — at land or ferry ports of entry will have to show proof they are fully vaccinated for Covid-19.

The U.S. land border closure to discretionary travel has been in place since March 2020.

The Biden administration has been under intense pressure for months to remove travel restrictions for nonessential, fully vaccinated travelers at land ports of entry.

Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), one of the most outspoken lawmakers pushing for the U.S. to reopen its land border with Canada, first broke the news about the northern frontier with his own statement earlier Tuesday evening.

“Strong vaccination rates in Canada made the continued border shutdown absurd and unjustifiable,” said Higgins, who co-chairs both the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group and the Northern Border Caucus. “For months now we’ve heard from businesses that are suffering and families distraught over the separation imposed by the continued border shutdown.”

Higgins, who represents a border district in Buffalo, said proof of vaccination will be required at the frontier. He added that that more information would be coming from the Department of Homeland Security in coordination with U.S. health agencies.

Later Tuesday, Higgins tweeted that "further details are coming tomorrow."

One unanswered question is the actual date in November that the U.S. will ease back restrictions for visitors from Canada and Mexico.

Another concern is whether the U.S. will accept travelers who were given doses of two different Covid vaccines that include an AstraZeneca jab, which has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Canada started welcoming fully vaccinated U.S. visitors on Aug. 9. More than 80 percent of Canadians 12 years and older are fully vaccinated, giving the country one of the highest rates in the world. Mexico's rates are far lower, with less than 40 percent of citizens fully vaccinated.

Canada has been tightening its rules to further encourage vaccination rates to move even higher. Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled measures that mandate Covid vaccines for Canada’s public servants as well as workers and passengers in the federally regulated rail, marine and air sectors.

The U.S.-Canada land border has been shuttered for nearly 19 months, but Canadians, even the unvaccinated, have been permitted to fly to the U.S. since the start of the pandemic for nonessential travel.

Higgins told the Buffalo News on Tuesday that Jeff Zients, the White House’s Covid response coordinator, informed him of the reopening. The article states the restrictions will be lifted in early November.