Sinema pressed the administration on a plan to maintain public safety while easing restrictions of non-essential cross-border travel
WASHINGTON – Following requests from Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema, the Department of Homeland Security announced plans to ease restrictions on non-essential cross-border travel—a move that will boost cross border trade and help support Arizona’s economic recovery.
“Cross-border travel, trade, and commerce fuel Arizona jobs and business opportunities. Today’s announcement helps support Arizona’s economic recovery while protecting the health and safety of Arizonans. I’ll keep working to ensure Congress and the administration take meaningful steps to secure the border, support our border communities, prevent the spread of COVID-19, and treat all migrants and unaccompanied children fairly and humanely,” said Sinema, Chair of the Senate Border Management Subcommittee.
Sinema made multiple calls to the Department of Homeland Security asking the agency to evaluate and detail plans to reopen non-essential cross border travel. Sinema has also called on the administration to robustly fund Arizona’s ports of entry.
In August, Sinema toured the San Luis Port of Entry and received a briefing from Customs and Border Protection leadership on current challenges at the border and the agency’s efforts to keep Arizona safe and secure. In Sinema’s recently-passed bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Sinema secured $3.85 billion in funding to modernize Land Ports of Entry. These critical resources will improve border security and trade across the nation and provide a direct impact in Arizona with the Douglas and San Luis port projects slated to receive funding.