World's busiest border falls quiet with millions of Mexicans barred from U.S.

[snoop1130]

World's busiest border falls quiet with millions of Mexicans barred from U.S.

By Lizbeth Diaz, Jose Luis Gonzalez

 

A general view of the Paso del Norte International Border Bridge, where the flow of people has decreased as new travel restrictions aimed at containing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have stopped millions of Mexicans living close to the U.S. border from crossing back and forth, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico March 30, 2020. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez

 

TIJUANA/CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (Reuters) - The world’s busiest land border has fallen quiet as restrictions to contain the coronavirus prevent millions of Mexicans from making daily trips north, including many who work in U.S. businesses.

 

At least 4 million Mexicans residing in cities along the 1,954-mile (3,144-km) border have been hit hard by the restrictions on non-essential travel. The measures effectively invalidate visas allowing short crossings into U.S. cities to visit family, get medical care or shop. 

 

While such B1/B2 “border crossing cards” are officially recreational, Reuters spoke to nearly two dozen residents of Tijuana, Nogales and Ciudad Juarez who use their cards to reach jobs or to care for relatives on the U.S. side of the frontier.

 

All said they could no longer make the crossing, dealing another blow to businesses already suffering from shutdowns on the U.S. side of the border, including vital industries like agriculture.

 

“I don’t know what I’m going to do without money. I’m just waiting for a miracle,” said 28-year-old Rosario Cruz, a mother of two young children who works for a cleaning company that subcontracts with major retailers in California.

 

The coronavirus restrictions prohibit all non-essential travel across the border. However, the restrictions have not been widely imposed on U.S. citizens traveling to Mexico.

 

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said it did not have an estimate of how many Mexican tourism-related visa holders work without permission in the United States. But U.S. and Mexican immigration experts say the practice is common.

 

According to the U.S. State Department Report of the Visa Office more than 4 million border cards have been issued since 2015. The cards are valid for 10 years.

 

Before the coronavirus restrictions, over 950,000 people entered the United States from Mexico on foot or in cars on a typical day, according to 2019 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency data. 

 

Andrew Selee, president of the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute, said limiting transport to contain the epidemic was understandable, but in cities such as San Diego or El Paso “businesses that really should be open in the middle of a crisis might find that they don’t have employees.”

 

“We’re talking about farm work, we’re talking about caregiving, and probably food production like canning and warehousing operations,” he said.

 

RIPPLE EFFECT?

 

Once teaming border crossings used by pedestrians and cars have emptied because of the measures, and people’s fear of catching the virus. In U.S. border cities like El Paso and San Diego, the impact is already being felt.

 

Cindy Ramos-Davidson, chief executive of the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the lack of Mexican shoppers was “devastating” for retail businesses downtown. She was also concerned about day labor for nearby farms that grow chiles, tomatoes, hay, and alfalfa.

 

“They depend on farm workers, the day workers,” she said, adding that some of these employees use tourism-related visas to enter the United States.

 

Farm workers are designated “essential” travelers under the new DHS rules, but only those with the right paperwork. Workers usually able to cross using border cards are now stuck on the Mexican side.   

 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the measures would not “disrupt critical supply chains.” CBP said in a statement cargo trucking continued and was not seen as a threat.

 

So far, Paola Avila, vice president of international business affairs at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, said so-called retail tourism, the second biggest contributor to the city’s economy, had taken the biggest hit from the border closure there.

 

A manager at a San Diego hotel, who refused to share his name because the company employs Mexicans without legal U.S. work permits, said the measures decimated the establishment’s workforce.

 

“The impact was so great that we decided to close; the legal workers wouldn’t have been able to cope,” on their own, he said.

 

Avila is also worried about the effect on U.S. residents cared for by relatives who cross from Mexico, and vice-versa — especially in the midst of a public health crisis. 

 

“If the hospitals overflow, as we predict, and they start sending people to be cared for at home, who will care for them?” she asked. 

 

That’s the fear that has already consumed 45-year-old Joel Sosa Moreno, whose elderly parents live in El Paso. He usually visits three times a week to clean house and bring food and medicine for diabetes and his mother’s cancer.

 

Under the new restrictions, he has been prohibited from crossing at the port of entry.

 

Asked about such humanitarian cases, a Customs and Border Protection official told Reuters officers had discretion to handle such situations on a case-by-case basis.

 

“It’s essential that I go there,” Sosa Moreno said, fearful for his parents. “They can’t go out into the street at all because they are more sensitive” to coronavirus.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-31

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[Puchaiyank]

The corona virus has created hardship around the world...not just at the US Mexican border...

 

Authorities are overwhelmed with the scope of this tragedy, the dead and dying, the lack of adequate healthcare supplies, workers, and equipment.

 

Do the best you can...I do not see the calvary coming to help anytime soon...

[tifino]

soon expect the tables are turned;

 when Mexican IOs start blocking mericans from fleeing South

[Nyezhov]

5 minutes ago, tifino said:

soon expect the tables are turned;

 when Mexican IOs start blocking mericans from fleeing South

I dout millions of Americans will be going to Mexico

[Toosetinmyways]

On the news already. Mexicans are preventing Americans crossing. Claim they are buying all vital goods. If Mexican government does nothing they say they will take the law into their own hands. Looked like they were also trying to block an airport.

[Cryingdick]

I remember around a year ago Trump saying people with health problems coming in could be a problem. That was met with cries of racism. At least now we know open borders are a terrible idea. It isn't discussed anymore. For all those laughing the tables have been turned, I don't think most Americans are planning trips to Mexico at this point. But if you get your jollies off of such schadenfreude then good for you.

 

More American money staying in the USA. 

 

 

[webfact]

U.S. will add 500 troops at Mexico border during coronavirus pandemic - officials

By Ted Hesson, Idrees Ali and Jonathan Landay

 

FILE PHOTO: An armed U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent stands watch at the border fence next the the beach in Tijuana, at the Border State Park in San Diego, California, U.S. November 16, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon will send roughly 500 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist federal border agents amid the coronavirus pandemic, three U.S. officials told Reuters.

 

The sources said the Pentagon approved a request by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

 

The United States already maintains an average of 5,000 troops at the southwest border to support Border Patrol by performing non-law enforcement duties. The latest deployment will bolster those ranks as border agents grapple with possible exposure to COVID-19, the disease cause by the virus.

 

Mexico declared a health emergency on Monday and issued stricter rules aimed at containing the fast-spreading coronavirus after its number of cases surged past 1,000 and the death toll rose sharply.

 

One of the U.S. officials - all of whom requested anonymity to discuss the decision - said the Trump administration worries the pandemic could further depress Mexico’s already troubled economy and encourage illegal immigration from that country to the United States.

 

DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

The move came as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump shelved a plan to send troops to the border with Canada, U.S. officials told Reuters.

 

Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland slammed the proposal last week, calling it "an entirely unnecessary step" that would damage bilateral relations between the two nations, which have long maintained an undefended border.

 

The Trump administration has stepped up its response to the coronavirus outbreak this month as infections have spread across the country. For the first time on Tuesday, the United States recorded nearly 700 new deaths in a single day. The country now has a total of over 3,800 deaths and over 185,000 cases.

 

The United States closed its northern and southern borders to tourist and recreational travel to limit the spread of the new coronavirus on March 20. At the same time, the Trump administration began to use a health-focused statute to swiftly return migrants caught trying to cross U.S. borders illegally.

 

The rapid removals also apply to unaccompanied minors from Central America with exceptions on a case-by-case, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said on Monday. The minors previously had been transferred into the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services in accordance with a federal law to protect victims of human trafficking.

 

(Reporting by Ted Hesson; Idrees Ali and Jonathan Landay in Washington; Editing by David Gregorio and Lisa Shumaker)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-01

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[metisdead]

A post using profane language has been removed:

 

8.) You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages, vulgarities, obscenities or profanities.

[Nigel Garvie]

13 hours ago, tifino said:

soon expect the tables are turned;

 when Mexican IOs start blocking mericans from fleeing South

 

10 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

I remember around a year ago Trump saying people with health problems coming in could be a problem. That was met with cries of racism. At least now we know open borders are a terrible idea. It isn't discussed anymore. For all those laughing the tables have been turned, I don't think most Americans are planning trips to Mexico at this point. But if you get your jollies off of such schadenfreude then good for you.

 

More American money staying in the USA. 

 

 

Indeed, open borders - a terrible idea. Fortunately Mexico have a plan to stop the rich Yanks from fleeing across this border with their viruses to infect ordinary decent Mexican citizens. Build a wall, and Trump will pay for it. You could even get him to personally dig the foundations. Wall problem and Trump obesity problem solved at one stroke. 

[marko kok prong]

Yes,a strange reversal,whilst cases in the USA explode,Mexico has fairly low numbers, i bet the cartels are feeling the hit here too,one positive i guess.

[earlinclaifornia]

15 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

I remember around a year ago Trump saying people with health problems coming in could be a problem. That was met with cries of racism. At least now we know open borders are a terrible idea. It isn't discussed anymore. For all those laughing the tables have been turned, I don't think most Americans are planning trips to Mexico at this point. But if you get your jollies off of such schadenfreude then good for you.

 

More American money staying in the USA. 

 

 

I know your pretty smart and I know I have asked this question so many times and never ever had anyone respond. Can you give me any example of anybody ever saying they wanted Open Borders. FACTS not opinions, please.

[Redline]

Nobody wants Americans in their country now

[samran]

12 minutes ago, Redline said:

Nobody wants Americans in their country now

I was reading about the airline industry today and how it will have to strategically reopen first between countries which have lowered their rates of infection.

 

The nation which will probably one of the last? You guessed it. 

[3NUMBAS]

the drug cartels must be hurting so expect more desperate measures to smuggle narcotics

[Basil B]

So some Americans will have to clean their own toilets now...

[baansgr]

Turkish/Greece border is still seeing thousands crossing unfettered daily...how many of this have the virus...

[candide]

So Trump closes borders to prevent US citizen from infecting foreigners. That's very nice of him. ????

Edited April 1, 2020 by candide

[tifino]

2 minutes ago, candide said:

So Trump closes borders to prevent US citizen to infect foreigners. That's very nice of him. ????

see... yes he's a good guy after all!  ???? 

 - about the only President possibly strong gutsy enough to dare to do it!  

 

[candide]

34 minutes ago, 3NUMBAS said:

the drug cartels must be hurting so expect more desperate measures to smuggle narcotics

They widely use goods transportation, I.e. trucks, trains, containers, etc... So it should not be much affected.

[bristolboy]

15 minutes ago, candide said:

They widely use goods transportation, I.e. trucks, trains, containers, etc... So it should not be much affected.

I haven't seen any articles about how this recession has affected the price of various drugs. It would make for an interesting bit of reading. I wonder how marijuana prices are doing in the various states in which marijuana is legally sold.

Edited April 1, 2020 by bristolboy

[Crazy Alex]

On 3/31/2020 at 8:06 AM, tifino said:

soon expect the tables are turned;

 when Mexican IOs start blocking mericans from fleeing South

I don't see large numbers of Americans fleeing to a <deleted> hole country infested with violent drug cartels.

[Crazy Alex]

9 hours ago, Basil B said:

So some Americans will have to clean their own toilets now...

I think it's sad that cleaning toilets is the first thing you think of when you think "Mexican" I think of a wide variety of hardworking people, many who are incredibly successful. Is cleaning toilets all you think Mexicans are good for? Shame on you.

[Crazy Alex]

17 hours ago, rhyddid said:

US citizens are rejected by Mexico, what a wonderful news .

Why do you think that's wonderful news?

[Basil B]

7 hours ago, Crazy Alex said:

I think it's sad that cleaning toilets is the first thing you think of when you think "Mexican" I think of a wide variety of hardworking people, many who are incredibly successful. Is cleaning toilets all you think Mexicans are good for? Shame on you.

What comes to mind is how the Americans exploit them.

Edited April 2, 2020 by Basil B

[Nigel Garvie]

8 hours ago, Crazy Alex said:

I don't see large numbers of Americans fleeing to a <deleted> hole country infested with violent drug cartels.

Maybe because they think they already live in one!

[Redline]

23 hours ago, samran said:

I was reading about the airline industry today and how it will have to strategically reopen first between countries which have lowered their rates of infection.

 

The nation which will probably one of the last? You guessed it. 

Yes, there are people in some states still mingling about.  Because of no central leadership, the result is going to be tens or hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths, and massive economic trauma.  Let this be a lesson 

Edited April 2, 2020 by Redline

[Cryingdick]

On 4/1/2020 at 2:20 AM, rhyddid said:

US citizens are rejected by Mexico, what a wonderful news .

Indeed so they don't go there and come back and spread the plague. 

[Cryingdick]

16 hours ago, Redline said:

Yes, there are people in some states still mingling about.  Because of no central leadership, the result is going to be tens or hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths, and massive economic trauma.  Let this be a lesson 

A lesson in what exactly?

[simple1]

19 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

Indeed so they don't go there and come back and spread the plague. 

At this stage Mexico only has around 1500 cases identified, whereas the US had approx 244k cases as of April 2. Logically Mexico would have a much greater risk from travellers from the US if the border hadn't been closed by mutual agreement for non essential travel.

 

From the US Embassy in Mexico website...

 

The United States and Mexico entered a joint initiative March 21 restricting non-essential travel along the U.S.-Mexico land border to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Non-essential travel includes travel that is considered tourism or recreational in nature.

Edited April 3, 2020 by simple1

[Cryingdick]

2 minutes ago, simple1 said:

At this stage Mexico only has around 1500 cases identified, whereas the US had approx 244k cases as of April 2. Logically Mexico would have a much greater risk from travellers from the US if the border hadn't been closed by mutual agreement for non essential travel.

 

From the US Embassy in Mexico website...

 

The United States and Mexico entered a joint initiative March 21 restricting non-essential travel along the U.S.-Mexico land border to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Non-essential travel includes travel that is considered tourism or recreational in nature.

 

I agree control the border. Thats the way it should have always been on both sides.