US extends Mexico, Canada border closures

The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that borders with Mexico and Canada will remain closed to all nonessential travel until Nov. 21 in response to spiking COVID-19 cases.

“We are working closely with Mexico & Canada to identify safe criteria to ease the restrictions in the future & support our border communities,” acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said on Twitter.

To continue to limit the spread of COVID, the US, Mexico, & Canada will extend the restrictions on non-essential travel through Nov 21. We are working closely with Mexico & Canada to identify safe criteria to ease the restrictions in the future & support our border communities.

— Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) October 19, 2020

The last extension of the border closures, which were originally put in place in March, was enacted on Sept. 18 and had been slated to stay in effect until Tuesday.

The land border restrictions do not affect air travel.

Mexico is still welcoming tourists via air with no testing or quarantine requirements, only subjecting passengers to health screens including temperature checks. Canada has been stricter, only admitting travelers who pass the eligibility check. Visitors also have to undergo a 14-day quarantine unless excused from doing so.

Essential workers, including health care professionals, airline crews and truck drivers, are exempt from the border measures. Americans returning to the U.S. and Canadians going back into Canada also are allowed to cross.