Border crossing limited through June

Restrictions at the U.S. land borders with Mexico will remain in place to nonessential travel through at least June 21, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed Thursday.

Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Relations first announced the decision last week.

The restrictions were imposed in March 2020 and have been extended every month since.

However, Mexican officials also announced they are in talks with the U.S. to ease restrictions at border crossings as of June 22 “based on the COVID-19 spread rate and on the number of vaccines applied on both sides of the border.”

In a separate statement, Edgar Ramírez, an attaché to the DHS at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, noted the ongoing vaccination efforts at border states, adding that “expecting that the minimum recommended by the Centers for Disease Control will soon be reached, the U.S. government will continue to coordinate with Mexico seeking to identify the most expeditious way to ease restrictions as soon as conditions allow it.”

On Tuesday, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said they have suggested to their U.S. counterparts that restrictions be lifted during the summer.

“(We have said) that the economic impact is severe.”

In San Diego County, organizations such as the San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce have expressed concern, given that the measures have affected businesses that rely on customers coming from south of the border.

From March 2020 to March 2021, San Ysidro businesses have lost more $644 million in sales and 1,900 jobs, the San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce estimated in a newsletter.

Northbound crossings remain open for U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, people with work visas and those traveling for educational or medical reasons, among other reasons deemed essential. Recreational and tourist travel are considered nonessential.