U.S.-Mexico Border Non-Essential Travel Restrictions Extended to August 21, 2021
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2021
The United States has extended the non-essential travel border restrictions with both Mexico and Canada until August 21, 2021, disappointing U.S.-Mexico border cities and counties who have sustained a multi-billion economic loss from the closing of the border to Mexican consumers with legitimate visas to enter the United States for travel, tourism, and shopping.
The non-essential travel restrictions were initially imposed in March 2020 and have been extended monthly for the past 17 months.
City of Eagle Pass, Texas Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr. stated the extension to August 21 will cost the city’s international bridge system a loss of $350,000 to $450,000 in revenues from decreased vehicles crossing to Mexico and vice-versa and significantly affect local retail businesses, restaurants, gasoline stations, and hotels who depend on Mexican consumers doing personal business transactions.
The City of Eagle Pass also loses retail sales taxes and hotel occupancy room taxes from the restriction of Mexican consumers being able to enter the United States for personal business and shopping.
Mayor Salinas noted the City of Eagle Pass has lost over $5 million in international bridge revenues during the past 17 months, which funds up to 60 percent of the city’s fiscal year budget.
Eagle Pass businesses lamented the extension of the non-essential travel restrictions until August 21 as their retail sales have sustained up to 60-70 percent losses since the restrictions were implemented in March 2020. Many downtown Eagle Pass businesses have closed or gone out of business due to the lack of Mexican retail customers.
Eagle Pass and Maverick County officials are developing a COVID-19 vaccine program for Mexican citizens at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry to assist Mexico with the vaccination of its citizens with the hope of persuading U.S. and Mexican governments to lift the non-essential travel restrictions. This pilot vaccination program is expected to be implemented in late-July.
