DHS Announces New Policy for Essential and Non-Essential Travelers at U.S.-Mexico Border Ports of Entry Effective August 21, 2020
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes was summoned to a meeting with U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) representatives from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Thursday, August 20, 2020 to advise him and the City of Eagle Pass of a new policy regarding essential and non-essential travelers at all U.S.-Mexico border ports of entry to become effective Friday, August 21, 2020.
Mayor Sifuentes announced the new DHS policy in a video recording posted on the City of Eagle Pass Facebook Page on August 20, 2020, stating that the new travel restrictions will apply to all travelers entering the United States from Mexico who will be questioned on the purpose of their trip to determine if it is for essential and non-essential purpose and depending on their response will be assigned pre-determined lanes and designated hours to return to the United States.
The U.S.-Mexico border ports of entry are designating the hours of 6 A.M. to 9 A.M. as essential travel hours and all lanes will be open for travelers entering the United States from Mexico. However, from 9 A.M. to 11 A.M., travelers determined to be non-essential will be assigned to one lane of entry during this period, causing a longer wait time to enter the United States from Mexico than if all the lanes had been opened. Only essential travelers will be allowed to access all lanes of entry into the United States during this time period. Then from 11 A.M. to 1 P.M. all travelers will be deemed essential and allowed to enter through any open lane of travel. But from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. it will be deemed to be non-essential travel time and assigned to a single lane entering the United States. Then, once again, from 4 P.M. to 7 P.M. it will be deemed to be essential travel time and all lanes will be opened for entry into the United States. But from 7 P.M. to 6 A.M. will be deemed as non-essential travel time and will be assigned to one lane of entry into the United States.
Mayor Sifuentes opined that this new DHS policy determining whether one’s purpose of trip is for essential or non-essential travel will cause a delay and longer border crossing times at the two City of Eagle Pass International Bridges, especially for non-essential travelers who will be assigned to only one lane of entry at certain hours of the day.
Mayor Sifuentes noted that he had met with Eagle Pass CBP Port Director Paul Del Rincon who advised him and the City of Eagle Pass of the new DHS policy implemented by Washington, D.C. to become effective on Friday, August 21, 2020.
This new DHS policy has not been publicly announced by DHS as of press time, but all U.S.-Mexico border cities were apprised of the new DHS policy yesterday by their local CBP representatives.
Eagle Pass citizens immediately expressed their concerns on social media that this new DHS policy was too confusing and going to delay the border crossing times of travelers entering the United States from Mexico. One person named Ale Luc posted on the City of Eagle Pass Facebook “How long will this last? What is the reason? U.S. citizens should be able to enter at any time. Get out and vote. Call your Congressperson.” Another citizen named Brenda Gonzalez-Maynard posted “Are they making the hours public. How are we supposed to memorize these, very confusing for many.” Another citizen named Edgar Juarez posted “A bit confusing…It’s better if you write it down on a post.”
Another citizen told this publication that this new policy from Washington, D.C. is simply going to cause much longer border crossing times for non-essential travelers, confuse travelers, decrease the vehicle traffic count, and cause U.S. border cities financial ruin.
Another local citizen told this publication that Washington, D.C. does not understand the unique two countries, one community mantra enjoyed by all U.S.-Mexico border communities and always implements policies without providing financial assistance to offset the damages. A daily border traveler opined that this new policy is contradictory and inconsistent with all the efforts and hard work done by CBP Port Directors to streamline the border crossing times during the past one or two years.
A local business person with businesses in both the United States and Mexico opined that this new policy will decrease the vehicle traffic flow at the two City of Eagle Pass International Bridges, decrease trade between the two countries, and cause severe financial hardship to the City of Eagle Pass who depends heavily on revenues from its two international bridges.
Mayor Sifuentes noted this new DHS policy will be in effect for the entire U.S.-Mexico border from Brownsville, Texas to San Diego, California effective August 21, 2020.
