U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) joined two dozen members of Congress from both parties in a letter Friday urging the Biden Administration to take steps to safely reopen our northern border with Canada to non-essential travel. This letter is in response to President Biden's January 12th executive order, which directs members of the Cabinet to submit a plan to implement appropriate public health measures at land ports of entry.
"I've heard from so many Michiganders: we need a plan to safely re-open our border with Canada," Slotkin said. "So many Michiganders have family members and property across the border, and the uncertainty that comes with month-by-month extensions of the closure just doesn't work with how we operate here in our state, or in Canada. In the meantime, we have seen humanitarian exceptions move in the past month, so contact our office at 517-993-0510 if there's a medical or humanitarian issue we can assist with."
The U.S.-Canada border has been closed to non-essential travel since March. Slotkin is advocating that through binational cooperation, the United States can put together a comprehensive, long-term plan for safely reopening the border — instead of the month-by-month approach that has been taken to date. The letter also calls on the Biden Administration to prioritize the safety of those working on the northern border by ensuring all Customs and Border Protection officers are able to be vaccinated, and to enable land border access for the Michiganders who own property in Canada or have loved ones across our northern border.
"As we approach one year of restricted travel, we also must recognize the significant impact these restrictions have had on individuals, families, businesses, and communities on both sides of the border," members said in the letter. "The continued ritual of monthly extensions without substantive signs of collaboration or progress only increases uncertainty and amplifies hardship for the border communities we represent – including those on U.S. soil accessible only through cross-border transit."
Original source can be found here.
