Biden-admin-press-call-border-vax-mandate-Oct-12-2021-WS505577

Charlotte Cuthbertson16min

Speaker 1

00:00

Eastern tomorrow morning on climate and for a few questions. Today's call is related to the border policy. On today's call, we have Natalie brilliant, White House deputy coordinator, Gary Ross, ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DHS for countering weapons of mass destruction, and Serena Boyd, Assistant Secretary for international affairs. And with that Natalie will speak and and Gary will speak in more time for a few questions.

Speaker 2

00:26

Thanks, Kevin, and thanks everybody for joining us tonight. Last month, the President announced a new system for international air travel to the United States, which will begin in early November. At the core of this new system will be a requirement that inbound foreign national air travelers to the United States be fully vaccinated. Today and Tomorrow, we are announcing that we are will be implementing similar requirements before nationals traveling across the land border from Canada and Mexico. To be fully vaccinated is an important step that will further enhance the safety of international travel and the safety of Americans at home. We know vaccines are the best line of defense against COVID-19. Nearly 263 million people across the US Canada and Mexico are now fully vaccinated. And vaccination coverage continues to increase in all countries. So these new vaccination requirements deploy the best tool we have in our arsenal to keep people safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19. And we'll create a consistent stringent protocols for all foreign nationals traveling into the United States, whether by land or air. These new vaccine vaccination requirements will go into effect in two phases. The first phase will start in early November alongside the new international air travel system. Starting in early November, we will begin allowing fully vaccinated travelers from Mexico and Canada to enter the United States for non essential reasons, such as to visit friends and family or for tourism. unvaccinated travelers will still be prohibited from traveling to United States for non essential reasons. The second phase will begin in early January of 2022. Starting in the new year, we will require that inbound foreign national travelers crossing the lands borders, be fully vaccinated whether traveling for essential or non essential reason. This phased approach will provide ample time for essential travelers such as truckers and others to get fascinated enabling a smooth transition to this new system. We understand how valuable the cross border travel of travel from Canada and Mexico is to the economic activity in border communities and to our broader economy. And we also know how meaningful the ability to travel is to maintain the personal ties between people living on either side of the northern and southern US borders, who are often effectively members of one community. And we are pleased to be able to move forward with these strict protocols and ensure cross border travel can occur in a safe and sustainable manner. We now turn it to Gary who's going to add at some points from DHS, Gary.

Speaker 3

03:10

Hey, good evening, everyone. Tomorrow, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas will announce that the Department of Homeland Security will amend the title 19 regulations to allow for nationals who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and had the appropriate paperwork to enter the United States, the land and very ports of entry across the US border for non essential reasons. Starting in early November. cross border travel creates significant economic activity in our border communities and benefits the broader economy. And we are pleased to be taking these steps to resume travel in a safe and sustainable manner starting early October. Importantly, the changes we are announcing apply the land border crossings that are legal, and to those foreign nationals who have appropriate documentation tend to the United States. Any foreign nationals attempting to attempting to enter the United States irregularly through any illegal means or without the proper documentation will be subject to border restrictions, including expulsive. US Customs and Border Protection will lead the enforcement of the vaccination requirement in the at the border in boldface. This will include things like seeking attestations of vaccine vaccination status, and spot checking travelers for verification of vaccinate. vaccination status, either via paper, or digital means. A foreign traveler who is not vaccinated would not be permitted to enter the United States and will instead be allowed to withdraw their application for admission and return to Canada or Mexico. The new travel system will create consistent and stringent protocols for all foreign nationals traveling to the United States, whether by air, land or ferry, and as that Natalie mentioned, this action is guarded by public health and the science and ensures that we are using the best tools we have to protect people from COVID-19 and the safety of cross border traffic. Back to you.

Unknown Speaker

05:11

Thanks very

Speaker 1

05:13

much. Now we have time for a few questions. First question, we will go to James is Martin with the Canadian crowd? I can hear me. Yep.

Speaker 4

05:31

Things real quick. You mentioned paper or digital. Do you guys have any more details as far as what specifically what kind of paperwork is going to be required? And secondly, is there been a decision made yet on the question of mixed dose vaccinations? There's a lot of people in Canada who have received doses of two different vaccines, is that going to be considered fully vaccinated for the purposes of crossing the border?

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