The United States is not going to allow Canadians to cross the border until at least Aug. 21 despite Canada saying it will likely re-open to fully-vaccinated Americans on Aug. 9.
According to a CBC news report, the United States pre-published a notice in its U.S. Federal Register Wednesday in which it explains the risk of allowing non-essential travel into the country is still too high.
“Given the outbreak and continued transmission and spread of COVID-19 within the United States and globally, the Secretary has determined that the risk of continued transmission and spread of the virus associated with COVID-19 between the United States and Canada poses an ongoing specific threat to human life or national interests,” the notice reportedly reads.
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Democrat Congressman Brian Higgins is infuriated by the American government’s decision to keep the border closed.
“For months now people and businesses along the border have been strung along month after month holding out hope for the border to reopen,” Higgins wrote in a statement. “Today’s decision by the Biden administration harms economic recovery and hurts families all across America’s northern border; this is completely unnecessary.
“While the United States does nothing, loved ones remain separated and communities whose economies rely on the cross-border exchange continue to suffer economically. Continuation of this shutdown is illogical given the success of vaccines and counterproductive putting the United States at a disadvantage given Canada’s decision to welcome back vaccinated Americans effective August 9th.”
Twitter Explodes With Calls For Border To Be Open Sooner
On Twitter, many agreed with Higgins and urged Washington to rescind the decision.
“Disgusting news, very disappointed,” wrote Twitter user Cri Assel. “Did not know double-vaxxed people were such a threat from spreading a virus already present on both sides of the border.”
Another Twitter user who is getting married soon tweeted that Washington’s refusal to open up the border will mean friends and family will be in a bind.
“Even though I have had personal wins lately with my fiancé moving to the states, this decision by @POTUS has hurt us,” wrote Twitter user Gabby Swift. “My own fiancé’s friends and family can’t come to celebrate at our wedding next month but they can spend hundreds of dollars to fly instead of drive five hours.”
Twitter user Scott W. Aalgaard, a Canadian living in the United States, described U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision as awful.
“It’s likely lost him both a lot of credibility here, and a good deal of goodwill from north of the border,” he tweeted.
Higgins, who co-leads the Northern Border Caucus and Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group was pleased by Canada’s decision to re-open the border in less than three weeks. He has slammed Washington for refusing to do the same, saying there is “no excuse” for the United States keeping the border closed.
