US Reportedly Considering Lifting Canada, Mexico Border Closures in May

Image: PHOTO: Customs and Border Protection checkpoint at Canadian-U.S. border. (photo via mphillips007 / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Image: PHOTO: Customs and Border Protection checkpoint at Canadian-U.S. border. (photo via mphillips007 / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Donald Wood
by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:58 AM ET, Mon March 22, 2021

United States President Joe Biden and his administration are reportedly considering relaxing land border closures with Mexico and Canada "toward the middle of May."

According to CNBC.com, a source speaking on the condition of anonymity said the administration is also considering reopening inbound international travel from the United Kingdom, Europe and Brazil.

President Biden and his COVID-19 task force are currently focused on limiting the spread of variants and administering vaccines to more Americans, but there are allegedly internal discussions about reopening borders.

Last week, the U.S. government announced land borders with Canada and Mexico would remain closed to nonessential travel for at least another month, through April 21. The Department of Homeland Security reiterated the goal of the closures is to limit the spread of coronavirus, determining that nonessential travel still poses too great of a risk.

In February, President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said they "agreed to take a coordinated approach based on science and public health criteria when considering measures to ease Canada-U.S. border restrictions in the future."

Despite concerns about reopening too quickly, the issue of allowing international air travelers from the U.K., Europe and Brazil who test negative for COVID-19 or are vaccinated will be revisited by President Biden and his team "on a weekly basis as new data becomes available."


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