By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo: San Ysidro border crossing, via San Diego Mayor Falconer's office

March 20, 20202 (San Diego) -- The Trump administration announced Friday that closure of non-essential movement across the Canadian border will be accompanied by similar limits on the Mexican border.

“There is agreement with both Canada and Mexico to limit non-essential traffic across our land borders,” said Chad Wolf, acting Secretary of Homeland Security, during a press conference at the White House.

Wolf said the restrictions would begin at 9 p.m. PST (midnight EST), but would not effect commerce or travel for medical or educational purposes.

He said the focus of the new restrictions is on recreational and tourist travel in order to prevent further spread of coronavirus.

Congresswoman Susan Davis provided the following clarifications:

"Essential travel" includes:

• U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents returning to the United States
• Individuals traveling for medical purposes
• Individuals traveling to attend educational institutions
• Individuals traveling to work in the United States (individuals working in the farming or agriculture industry who must travel between the U.S. and Mexico to work)
• Individuals traveling for emergency response and public health purposes (government officials or emergency responders entering the U.S. to support Federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial government efforts to respond to COVID-19 or other emergencies)
• Individuals engaged in lawful cross-border trade (truck drivers supporting the movement of cargo between the U.S. and Mexico)
• Individuals engaged in official government travel or diplomatic travel 
• Members of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the spouses and children of members of the U.S. Armed Forces, returning to the United States
• Individuals engaged in military-related travel or operations.

Individuals traveling for tourism purposes (for example, sightseeing, recreation, gambling, or attending cultural events) do not fall under the definition of "essential travel" and will be restricted from crossing through ports of entry.



The decision to restrict traffic across the Canadian border was announced on Wednesday.