US, Canada, Mexico Plan Another Extension of Border Restrictions

Present restrictions on non-essential travel across U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico land borders are likely to be extended for another month, sources familiar with the plans say.

The Trump administration’s separate agreements with Canada and Mexico are currently set to expire on July 21, but it now looks as though the partial bans on border crossings will continue through at least August 21. This will mark the fourth extension of those orders since they were first implemented back in March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic first seized North America.

Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said that a formal announcement of decisions regarding the continued land-border closure with the U.S. would be announced “in the coming days”, according to Politico. “We’re going to continue to work hard to keep Canadians safe and to keep our economies flowing, and we will have more to say later this week,” Trudeau announced at a July 13 press conference, which followed a phone call with President Trump.

Supply chains, trade and commerce are exempt from the restrictions, as are essential healthcare workers and those who regularly cross the borders for their job commutes; but border crossings for the purposes of recreation, tourism or discretionary visits remain prohibited.

According to CTV News, an exemption under Canada law effected in June also enables immediate family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to enter the country to reunite under certain stipulations, and subject to a two-week quarantine upon arrival.

While no official word has yet been forthcoming from the Mexican government, officials there reportedly say that there’s no push to loosen U.S. border restrictions from their end. Given the record-breaking number of new infections being observed in the U.S., particularly in such border states as Texas and Arizona, there’s justifiable concern that more Americans coming into Mexico would bring further contagion with them.