U.S. will keep borders with Canada and Mexico closed until at least August 21st

U.S. will keep borders with Canada and Mexico closed until at least August 21st

Canadian residents Philip Owira, right, and Katherine Nichol walk with their baby across a small ditch from Canada into Peace Arch Historical State Park to visit a friend there, Tuesday, June 8, 2021, in Blaine, Wash. The border has been closed to nonessential travel since March 2020, but Canadians have been allowed to walk over the ditch into the U.S. park. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

UNDATED (AP) — The United States government is extending the closure of the land borders with Canada and Mexico until at least Aug. 21. The move announced Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security came two days after the Canadian government announced it would begin letting fully vaccinated U.S. citizens into Canada on Aug. 9, and those from the rest of the world on Sept. 7. At the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 both the U.S. and Canadian governments restricted non-essential travel by land between the two countries, although Canadians have been able to fly into the United States. Until the Canadian decision on Monday, the two governments had extended the closure every month.

 

Photo: Canadian residents Philip Owira, right, and Katherine Nichol walk with their baby across a small ditch from Canada into Peace Arch Historical State Park to visit a friend there, Tuesday, June 8, 2021, in Blaine, Wash. The border has been closed to nonessential travel since March 2020, but Canadians have been allowed to walk over the ditch into the U.S. park. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)