U.S. opening border to vaccinated travelers

After 20 months of closure to nonessential travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the northern and southern borders of the United States will open to vaccinated people in November.

That follows Canada opening its border to vaccinated travelers in early August and intense pressure from Montana leaders for the U.S. to reciprocate.

Montana Sens. Jon Tester, a Democrat, and Steve Daines, a Republican, and Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale as well as Republican Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte had been calling on the Biden administration long before Canada's July announcement to open the border.

"Montanans depend on cross-border trade and travel to support our businesses and keep our communities connected, and the Biden administration's decision to keep the northern border closed has unnecessarily hurt our economy," Tester said in a statement this morning. "I'm glad that the Biden administration listened to me and the thousands of Montanans who fought back against this shortsighted policy, and I will continue pushing to make sure that the northern border re-opens as quickly and as safely as possible so that families and businesses on both sides of the border can continue to fully rebound from this crisis."

Daines, who tried unsuccessfully Thursday to get the Senate to approve a bill he has sponsored to fully open the U.S.-Canada border, praised the action but asked for all restrictions to end.

"Montana families, small businesses and communities will finally be able to feel some of the relief they've been seeking for months now that the northern border is partially reopened," he said in a statement today. "While I'm glad to see President Biden take this initial step to reopen the U.S-Canada border for vaccinated Canadians, I urge him to end all restrictions and fully reopen the northern border. Montanans are depending on it."

His bill, which was blocked Thursday by Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., also would have lifted all restrictions on border travel within 20 days of passage.

Rosendale also praised easing border restrictions but also raised concerns.

"Since February of this year, I have been calling for the northern border to be open. The closure of the northern border has been devastating to our small northern communities that depend upon international trade and travel," he said in a statement this morning. "While I am happy the Biden administration is going to allow land travel to resume, I am very concerned that President Biden is using this as a tool to advance his COVID-19 vaccine mandates for those to participate in essential trade, especially as our supply chain continues to have dire consequences for American consumers."

A release from Homeland Security Monday said that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that, following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health experts, the restrictions would be amended to allow non-essential travelers who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and have appropriate documentation to enter the United States via land and ferry ports of entry.

"In alignment with the new international air travel system that will be implemented in November, we will begin allowing travelers from Mexico and Canada who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to enter the United States for non-essential purposes, including to visit friends and family or for tourism, via land and ferry border crossings," Mayorkas said in the release. "Cross-border travel creates significant economic activity in our border communities and benefits our broader economy. We are pleased to be taking steps to resume regular travel in a safe and sustainable manner."

The first phase will allow travelers who are fully vaccinated and have proof of vaccination allowed entry for non-essential reasons, the release said.

Beginning in early January, Homeland Security will require all foreign national travelers attempting to enter the country via land or ferry port of entries to have proof of vaccination for both non-essential and essential reasons, the release said.

"This approach will provide ample time for essential travelers such as truckers, students, and health care workers to get vaccinated," the release said.

"This new travel system will create consistent, stringent protocols for all foreign nationals traveling to the United States - whether by air, land, or ferry - and accounts for the wide availability of COVID-19 vaccinations," the release added.