Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The Texas Border Coalition (TBC) has joined more than two dozen U.S.-Mexico binational leaders in urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to lift restrictions that limit non-essential travel at the U.S., Mexico, and Canada borders.
In a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayoraks, border leaders say they reluctantly accepted temporary limits on cross-border travel during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that the “temporary” limits have now lasted for more than 14 months.
“These restrictions have heavily paralyzed and devastated the economics of our border businesses and communities. In 2019, the Texas-Mexico border had an impact of more than $19 billion in economic activity, supported over 650,000 jobs, and increased infrastructure development along our international boundaries,” the border leaders said.
The group also noted that the U.S-Mexico border has been receiving a high influx of immigrants seeking asylum and processing into the United States.
“If these individuals are being allowed into our homeland, we should also allow visa holders who need to visit family and conduct essential commercial activities,” the group said.
Those signing the letter include: Cameron County Judge and TBC Chairman Eddie Treviño, Jr., TBC Vice-Chairman and Vice President of Government and Inernational Affairs for the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce C. LeRoy Cavazos-Reyna, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz, Weslaco Mayor David Suarez, Mission Mayor Dr. Armando O’Caña, Brownsville Mayor Juan “Trey” Mendez, III, Ramiro A. Cavazos, President and CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Glenn Hamer, President and CEO of the Texas Association of Business, Ernie C’ deBaca, President and CEO of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Britton Mullen, President of the Border Trade Alliance, Dennis Nixon, Chairman and CEO of the International Bank of Commerce, Isabel Geogelos, President and CEO of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Cynthia Sakulenski, President and CEO of the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Cindy Ramos-Davidson, President and CEO of the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Fernando Ruiz Huarte, Vice-President of the Mexican Bsuiness Council for Foreign Trade, Investment, and Technology, Tayde Aburto, President and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce, Sergio Contreras, President and CEO of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, Marina Gonzalez, President and CEO of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Gen. Albert Zapanta, President and CEO of the United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, Samuel Guzman, Chairman of the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce Board of Directors, Pauline Anton, President and CEO of the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce, Andrew Carey, Executive Director of the U.S.-Mexico Border Philathropy Partnership, Eddie Aldrete, Chairman of the Texas-Mexico Trade Coalition, Jon Barela, CEO of The Borderplex Allliance, Benjamin Petty, Assistant Managing Partner of TaxFree Shopping, Ltd., Juan Antonio Flores, Chairman of the San Antonio-Mexico Friendship Council board of directors, Matamoros Mayor Dr. Mario Alberto Lopez Hernandez, and Michael Gonzalez, Senior Director of External Affairs for the Laredo College Economic Development Center.
Following is the text of the letter in its entirety; DHS and White House officials have confirmed receipt of the letter:
May 14, 2021
The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
3801 Nebraska Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20395
RE: Request to re-open ports of entry and remove travel restrictions between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Dear Secretary Mayorkas,
As the United States has made tremendous progress in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe it is time for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under your transformative leadership and in collaboration with the Biden-Harris Administration, to re-open our borders, and allow for cross-border travelers to enter our communities. Common-sense measures such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), a negative COVID-19 test, and proof of vaccination can make cross-border travel safe for our citizens, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel, and travelers alike.
In the past year, the global COVID-19 pandemic has caused physical, emotional, and economic suffering to millions of Americans. This includes tens of thousands of Texans living along the Texas-Mexico border. While Texas border leaders reluctantly accepted temporary limits on cross-border travel during the height of the pandemic, the “temporary” limits have now lasted for more than fourteen months. These restrictions have heavily paralyzed and devastated the economics of our border businesses and communities. In 2019, the Texas-Mexico border had an impact of more than $19 billion in economic activity, supported over 650,000 jobs, and increased infrastructure development along our international boundaries.
Before the pandemic, the economy of our border communities relied on the influx of daily travelers from Mexico who acquire goods and services in the United States. However, the current border travel restrictions have dramatically limited these travelers and the critical cross-border exchange of business and commerce, leaving local border economies shattered. The year-long exclusion of these customers is harming our local economies, especially our retail, dining, and hospitality sectors. Severely restricting cross-border travel in this way is not an effective long-term policy and causes disproportionate economic impact to border communities.
More than a year after the travel restrictions took effect, we believe the time has come for your Department to remove these restrictions between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Our southern border has been receiving a high influx of immigrants seeking asylum and processing into the United States. If these individuals are being allowed into our homeland, we should also allow visa holders who need to visit family and conduct essential commercial activities. Collectively, we request re-opening our Land Ports of Entry (LPOEs) with sufficient lanes and a full complement of CBP staff to maintain efficient traffic. Instituting efficient and safe operations at our land ports will ensure that international travelers are able to contribute to our border economy. We need international travelers conducting crucial commercial activities in our border region to revitalize our economy in the aftermath of the pandemic.
The Texas Border Coalition (TBC) acts as the collective voice of border communities on issues that affect Texas-Mexico border region’s quality of life, commerce, and public policy. The TBC is comprised of mayors, city council members, county judges, county executives, businesses, corporations, and community leaders. Collectively, we represent more than 2.5 million people who reside along the more than 1,250 miles of the Texas-Mexico border, from Brownsville to El Paso, Texas. We believe in the economic vibrancy of our border region, its potential to re-vitalize is dependent on cross-border travelers.
Your Department and the Biden-Harris Administration should also take every action possible to safeguard the health and safety of CBP personnel who protect our homeland and citizens. The TBC requests that CBP ensure that its personnel are vaccinated and adequately outfitted with PPE to protect the health of our officers, their families, our border communities, and all individuals seeking to cross our borders.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this important request. We look forward to a positive response on this matter, which has a severe economic impact on many communities in the U.S.-Mexico border region. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out any of our border leaders whose names and signatures appear as collaborating advocacy partners on this critical issue below.
Sincerely,
