Border Crossings Recent News?

Hello,

Has anyone recent experience with land crossing into Mexico and the COVID requirements at Nogales? Also, if anyone has land crossed into the US f Canada at Coutts recently, that would be of interest also. We have documentation specifying a medical need, and that along w a recent PCR test and vaccine passports is hoped to be sufficient. We take nothing for granted nowadays....

We crossed at Nogales one month ago. Nothing related to Covid was required to enter Mexico. No vaccination record and no PCR test. They did not even ask.

We crossed at Nogales Mariposa Tuesday AM. US Border Patrol stop just inside US. Told us to have fun! Aduana Check just inside MX: looked inside, checked one plastic tub and asked where we were going? At km21: Visas & TIP. Just after we crossed Sonora border with Sinaloa: checkpoint to check our TIP. No other checkpoints so far & we are in Mazatlan. No checks for vaccine jabs and we have all including booster.

Mask compliance and hand sanitizing well accepted in Mazatlan! At dinner, we were even given a plastic bag for our mask while eating.

US land border still closed to Canadians.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/closure-of-u-s-land-border-may-hamper-canadians-winter-travel-plans-once-again-experts-say-1.5613349

I simply do not understand the logic of the Biden administration. If they want to open both the Northern and Southern borders at the same time, it's simple to just request that land travellers require vaccinations... going in BOTH directions. It's a no brainer. What am I missing?

Politics? I suspect political retaliation for... something, god knows what. To be used as a bargaining chip.

ferret wrote:I simply do not understand the logic of the Biden administration. If they want to open both the Northern and Southern borders at the same time, it's simple to just request that land travellers require vaccinations... going in BOTH directions. It's a no brainer. What am I missing?

They know that vaccinations in Mexico are lagging behind. 36% fully vaxxed here, compared to 73% in Canda.

But AMLO is **sorta** cooperating with the US on migrants coming northward, Biden doesn't want to piss him off. The US Covid policy has been the same at each border since the pandemic started; if he changes it for Mexico it would be considered a slap in the face by AMLO.

Yeah, but the trouble is that AIR TRAVEL is no problem at all. It's only land crossings. No logic.

I do think that the Migrants fall into an entirely different category. The normal travel of document bearing citizens (passport, other ID and vaccination) should not be lumped in with them.

ferret wrote:I do think that the Migrants fall into an entirely different category. The normal travel of document bearing citizens (passport, other ID and vaccination) should not be lumped in with them.

I think you missed my point.  AMLO is assisting the US by accepting (mostly Central American) migrants under the Stay in Mexico policy while they await a hearing.  AMLO is also doing a *better* job at MX's southern border keeping some migrants from coming up that route thru MX and into the US.

ComputerGuy wrote:Yeah, but the trouble is that AIR TRAVEL is no problem at all. It's only land crossings. No logic.

US Covid AIR travel policy was pretty homogeneous for all countries when it started, including its border neighbors.  

The US LAND crossing policy was homogeneous for both its neighbors.  

Not saying it is logical but that's how it started and as I said, Biden needs AMLO's help at the southern border, as well as at MX's southern border to stem some of the migration from Central America to the US.

Biden does not want to piss off AMLO by giving Canadians easier LAND crossings, but not extending that to Mexicans.

All good points, and here below is the text from the US Border folks that I am hoping will work in our favour:

“Essential travel” still permitted includes: work and study, critical infrastructure support, economic services and supply chains, health, immediate medical care, and safety and security.

I have 2 Dr's letters stating that I have an immediate health need to go to Mexico. That along with a 'hotel stays only' transit to Nogales, might cause the Border folks to relent, and be wise enough to know the southern border issue is the real cause. Xing date is the 15th, so I can try and update soon after then if nobody else has insights?

Seems like Oct. 21st is date US will announce any changes.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/closure-of-u-s-land-border-may-hamper-canadians-winter-travel-plans-once-again-experts-say-1.5613349

Or they extend it due to the southern border issues mentioned above. (;o(

BisbeeGal wrote:

ComputerGuy wrote:Yeah, but the trouble is that AIR TRAVEL is no problem at all. It's only land crossings. No logic.

US Covid AIR travel policy was pretty homogeneous for all countries when it started, including its border neighbors.  

The US LAND crossing policy was homogeneous for both its neighbors.  

Not saying it is logical but that's how it started and as I said, Biden needs AMLO's help at the southern border, as well as at MX's southern border to stem some of the migration from Central America to the US.

Biden does not want to piss off AMLO by giving Canadians easier LAND crossings, but not extending that to Mexicans.  

It started that way, sort of, but it is 18 months later.

ComputerGuy wrote:

BisbeeGal wrote:

ComputerGuy wrote:Yeah, but the trouble is that AIR TRAVEL is no problem at all. It's only land crossings. No logic.

US Covid AIR travel policy was pretty homogeneous for all countries when it started, including its border neighbors.  

The US LAND crossing policy was homogeneous for both its neighbors.  

Not saying it is logical but that's how it started and as I said, Biden needs AMLO's help at the southern border, as well as at MX's southern border to stem some of the migration from Central America to the US.

Biden does not want to piss off AMLO by giving Canadians easier LAND crossings, but not extending that to Mexicans.  

It started that way, sort of, but it is 18 months later.

I agree 100%!! But AMLO is a loose cannon and border issues remain unresolvable in the US for Biden with a GOP House. Bide knows that immigration is what got trump elected and could again become THE rallying cry in 2024.

When it comes to controversy about people crossing US border, the anti vaxers/masked, Greg Abbott, Ted Cruz, the COVIDIOTS, the simple undereducated right wing morons: there is no differentiation between those crossing the southern or northern borders. Since they refuse credit for prolonging the Pandemic, it is much simpler to blame immigrants!

I NEVER thought I would be in the position to wish death on anyone but maybe "you reap at you sow" is appropriate in this case? For everyone of them who has a child die because adults making dumb decisions should have consequences: how about laws being applied?

In a perfect world that would be logical. There is no logic in any of their arguments. How do you deal with a State who goes against a Supreme Court decision? It's kinda like banging your head against a brick wall.
Sorry to say that a culling of the herd is inevitable. Survival of the smartest.

Rory2u wrote:At dinner, we were even given a plastic bag for our mask while eating.

And what was that supposed to accomplish? Honestly, people just still don't get it. The outside of your mask needs to not be handled nor touch anything the inside might touch.

I tell people to imagine that coronavirus is dog poop. You are wearing your mask out in public to protect yourself from virus particles which may be in the air (as well as protecting others by keeping your own breath from spewing out.) So if there are virus particles on the outside of the mask, imagining them as dog poop, are you really going to shove that in a plastic bag and then pull it out and wear it again? Put it in your pocket or handbag?

I carry several clean masks with me. If I'm in my car, and have only worn the mask briefly to run into a store, I will take it off only touching the elastic strap, and lay it outside up on the passenger seat. If I put it on again, I only touch the strap. But I might use 3 fresh clean masks on a run-around day, where I make lots of stops. Then they get washed.

Seriously folks, picture Covid as something really disgusting that you can see and assume it's on the outside of the mask. Otherwise your mask may do you more harm than good.

Rory2u wrote:For everyone of them who has a child die because adults making dumb decisions should have consequences: how about laws being applied?

I just read that an estimated 120,000 children have been left orphaned because their parents died of Covid.

Yet another invisible effect that the Covid deniers don't take into considertion when ranting about how "98% of people survive Covid".

Back to driving Canadian vehicles across the border - as an American, I drove a Canadian plated car across from Chapala to cross at Laredo, together with a US guy driving another Canadian plated vehicle taken up to be nationalized.. My car was to be left at airport parking for the owners to fly up , find their car in LT parking & continue their journey back to Canada. No problems for either of us - we stated we were helping our elderly Canadian friends. Five minutes & no questions, request for documents, verification, nada. I was surprised.
It is what it is.

I would imagine if a snowbird coming down did the same thing: got a trusted American to drive their RV or car across the border & simultaneously fly into Seattle, Billings, Detroit et al & meet-up at the airport. Will cost a bit, but gets the job done.. Even when the border does open up to vaxxed Canadians, it will require US approved vaccines - sorry Sinovac, Cansino, AstraZen & Sputnik (?anyone) vaccinated peeps.

Caligirl, That's good to know info., and who would think that Xing the US border in that way would be so easy. US Border folks take their policies seriously, but they are still people and likely form common sense judgments all day. The Xing process described would work well, although we are in Alberta and would X in Montana where there are no sufficient close airports. I cannot fly commuter jets any more due to the stairs, Vancouver-Seattle departure points notwithstanding. Thanks for your insightful ideas, and helping the other folks out too!

An American/Canadian couple we know recently crossed from their home in BC but no issues because he was an American.

They related the story of the growing "cottage industry" of Americans driving vehicles across while Canadians flew. Thought that was a pretty clever workaround that I hadn't even considered!

The countries that make up the world community could certainly have made things easier with a universally accepted Vaccination Certificate! But that couldn't possibly happen in this crazy "it's all about me world"!

AstraZeneca is now approved in the US. But here's a question. If I, a US Citizen drive from Canada to the US and my wife is in the car with me, will she be allowed in?