A supposed ‘temporary rule’ will go on indefinitely, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
(LifeSiteNews) — Vaccine-free Canadians hoping to cross into the United States via a land border will still be banned from entry after the Biden administration extended a rule mandating that non-U.S. citizens going into the U.S. have the COVID shots.
According to an update yesterday from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the vaccine mandate for land border crossings remains in place indefinitely.
“As of Thursday, April 21, 2022, DHS will extend COVID-19-related land border entry requirements. Non-U.S. travelers seeking to enter the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination upon request,” the DHS said.
The department noted that the restrictions apply to “non-U.S. travelers who are traveling for essential or non-essential reasons. They do not apply to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, or U.S. nationals.”
The “temporary rule” mandating COVID jabs via land border crossings was originally put in place on January 22. According to the U.S Federal Registry, it was set to expire at midnight April 21 before being extended.
Travelers entering the United States by air are mandated as well to prove they have the COVID jabs.
Republican U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York blasted the Biden administration’s extension of the COVID land border vaccine mandate.
In a statement, she said such mandates hurt northern communities and show the “Biden administration’s hypocrisy.”
“For over two years, communities in Upstate New York and the North Country have been devastated by Northern Border travel restrictions, which hurt tourism, harm supply chain, and keep families apart. Instead of leading the way for our Canadian partners by dropping all restrictions on Northern Border travel, the Biden Administration is doubling down on harmful restrictions on Northern Border travel, while proposing an end to Title 42, which will fuel illegal immigration across the Southern Border,” Stefanik said.
According to the DHS, upon entry into the U.S. via a land border, one must “verbally attest to their COVID-19 vaccination status,” and if asked for proof of the vaccine, must show the border agent a “CDC-approved COVID-19 vaccination, as outlined on the CDC website.”
Despite the land border mandate being in place, some have said that they were never asked about their vaccine status by border guards when crossing into the United States.
