United States-Mexico Border Non-Essential Travel Restrictions Extended to December 21, 2020
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
The United States-Mexico Border non-essential travel restrictions implemented on March 21, 2020 that have been extended monthly by U.S. and Mexican authorities have once again been renewed or extended for an additional 30 days until December 21, 2020, dealing a devastating financial blow to U.S.-Mexico border cities such as Eagle Pass, Texas who depend heavily on the revenues from Mexican travelers using their international bridges and making retail purchases within the community.
The City of Eagle Pass sustains a monthly loss of between $450,000 to $600,000 since the non-essential border travel restrictions have been in place as of March 21, 2020, a loss of almost $5.4 million during the past nine months, according to City officials.
The City of Eagle Pass has had to use its reserve funds to offset the heavy financial loss of revenues as well as make financial cutbacks to survive the extreme financial hardship stemming from the controversial non-essential border restrictions.
Eagle Pass city officials have repeatedly stated that if the non-essential travel border restrictions are extended beyond January of 2021, the City Council will have to reexamine their fiscal year budget to determine what additional cuts would have to be made to survive.
Eagle Pass city officials were deeply disappointed that the travel restrictions were extended until December 21, 2020, guaranteeing the City coffers will sustain another loss of between $450,000 to $600,000 in international bridge revenues, retail sales taxes, and hotel occupancy room taxes at the busiest trade season during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
