The Trump Administration has just announced the restriction of all non-essential travel across the U.S.-Mexican border in a further effort to seal off the United States from outside visitors as the COVID-19 coronavirus begins to escalate its spread throughout North America.
As revealed by CNN, Trump declared that the southern border would turn away those whom he termed "unscreened" and "unvetted" people at the Mexican border, "mostly, and even beyond, but mostly during this global pandemic."
"We want to make sure cargo continues, trade continues, healthcare workers continue to be able to traverse that border. But tourism, some recreational activities and other things need to stop during this crisis," acting Homeland Security Secretary, Chad Wolf, told reporters yesterday, Thursday, March 19, 2020, at the White House.
Reportedly, plans began to be laid out cooperatively between the U.S. and Mexico during a phone call that took place yesterday between U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and Mexican Foreign Secretary, Marcelo Ebrard.
This new mandate on America's southern border follows a similar one, announced earlier this week for the country's northern border, likewise restricting all non-essential travel between the U.S. and Canada.
As with the restrictions imposed on travel to and from Canada, "non-essential" travel refers to travel for recreation or leisure purposes and is not intended to apply to supply and trade movements, or to stop persons who perform essential work functions crossing the border.
This morning, Ebrard asserted that, "essential movements shouldn't be affected" He affirmed that, "what has been achieved is that the measures for reducing the risk of propagation of the virus will not affect the substantive economy activities of Mexico and the United States, and of the border region." Typically, thousands cross the U.S.-Mexico border each day to attend work, school and other activities.
Mexico currently has 93 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with its first confirmed death from the disease having occurred on March 17 in a patient who also suffered from a pre-existing diabetic condition. Mexico's federal health ministry did not indicate where, precisely, the death had occurred within the country.
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