Future plans for the borders in the face of a growing threat from COVID-19

March 20, 2020 por Isolda Barrera

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Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mexico number 82, compared to about 5,600 in the United States and more than 470 in Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced at a press conference that the Canada-United States border will now be closed to all non-essential travel. This unprecedented travel ban reflects the increasing efforts of both countries to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Trudeau stated that American citizens would not be prohibited from crossing the border (the longest in the world shared by two countries) into Canada, and noted the importance of keeping trade flowing freely. Canada depends on the United States for almost 75% of its exports and 18% of its imports.

The southern border is beginning to see possible changes as well. Border cities such as Laredo, Texas and Cd. Juárez have already tested positive for COVID-19. Laredo's case was presented to a teacher in the United School District, and the confirmed case of coronavirus in Juárez is from a 29-year-old male medical student who was on vacation in Italy.

Daily life in both border cities is changing rapidly as local and national governments, in the United States and Mexico, alter the rules for public meetings, and measures are implemented at various business ranges.

Some details of the new rule remain unclear at the moment, even if foreigners seeking asylum or other protections at ports of entry would be immediately returned.

But President Trump has repeatedly suggested that he could close the border, hoping to take strict measures to combat illegal immigration and pressure Mexico to do its part to manage the flow of migrants north.

Long before the coronavirus outbreak, he warned his top aides to the Department of Homeland Security about stopping illegal immigration, to which he mentioned that he wanted to "shut it down." As the number of migrants crossing from Central America increased, the President threatened more than once to close the border.

Several people expressed concern about the health risk of sending migrant children to facilities across the country that are managed by the Department of Health and Human Services, now more as COVID-19 is growing among large, non-health groups.

At the same time, it is mentioned that they did not want to return to a policy of allowing migrants to remain free in the United States while waiting for hearings in immigration courts, as this could allow migrants with the coronavirus to increase the burden on hospitals. Americans, authorities said.

Border crossings have decreased dramatically since last spring after the administration enacted aggressive policies, such as forcing asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their immigration cases are being tried.

It is not only the migratory changes that are present at the border, the Mexican peso has also been affected. It fell to a record low this week, hitting 23 per dollar on Wednesday, as fears intensified that the coronavirus could spark a global recession.

The United States Office of Customs and Border Protection says that ports of entry are operating normally. US citizens and anyone with "a valid valid visa" can cross the border as usual.

The US and Canadian governments on Tuesday banned all "non-essential" travel on the US-Canada border, but a similar policy has not been applied on the US-Mexico border.

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