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Michigan Reps. Dingell, Stevens call for strategy reopening U.S.-Canada border

By Jack Nissen
Published  July 9, 2021 12:01pm EDT
U.S. Border Security
FOX 2 Detroit

Travel restrictions for U.S. and Canada separates couple for 10 months

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WASHINGTON - The calls for reopening the international border between the U.S. and Canada in Detroit are getting louder. And two of the loudest voices urging a change in strategy just let her opinion known.

Michigan Congresswomen Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) and Haley Stevens (D-Rochester) both sent a letter to the president urging for a strategy that safely reopens the northern border.

Frustration has grown in recent weeks about the continued closure to non-essential travel between the neighboring countries. While there has been some movement in a potential opening, it's unclear what that might look like.

Quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated citizens from Canada were waived. But that's a long way from continuing international travel. 

On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that unvaccinated foreign tourists won't be allowed to enter Canada for "quite a while." 

In weighing the public health pros against the economic cons of the continued closure, the letter sent by Dingell and Stevens to Joe Biden read that while it was "imperative we continue supporting efforts to keep Americans healthy," the adverse effects of the restrictions on business and family have been painful.

"As our nation begins to make a strong recovery, we respectfully add our support to the group of members who have recently written you and urge your administration to adopt an evidence-based strategy to safely reopen international travel along the northern border."

Currently, more than 50% of the U.S. are fully vaccinated, and 62% of Michigan citizens have gotten at least one shot of the coronavirus vaccine. Almost 60% of Canada has received one dose as well.

Dingell and Stevens are not the first members of Michigan's congressional delegation to call for the border to reopen. Reps. Dan Kildee, Andy Levin, Lisa McClain, Peter Meijer, Bill Huizenga, and John Moolenaar made a similar plea in a letter sent to Biden earlier this week.