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San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria
Mayor Gloria Statement on Federal Governments Lifting of Travel Restrictions at U.S. Ports of Entry
MONTHS OF ADVOCACY FROM MAYOR GLORIA HELPS LIFT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS THAT HARMED BORDER BUSINESSES, FAMILIES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday,October13, 2021
CONTACT:
MayorPress@sandiego.gov
SAN DIEGO Following the federal governmentsdecision tofinallyliftnon-essential travel restrictions at U.S. ports of entry, Mayor Todd Gloria issued this statement:
For far too long, the restrictions at our border separated families and devastated businesses that rely on cross-border commerce. Since I took office in December, and on my most recent trip to Washington D.C., I have been meeting with officials at all levels of the federal government to help get these restrictions lifted. I want to thank Secretary Mayorkas and the entire Biden-Harris Administration for hearing our call and taking this action, which will allow families to be reunited, businesses to get back to a sense of normalcy, and our local economy to fully recover.Id also like to thank the San Diego congressional delegation, my fellow South Bay mayors and Vice-Chair of the County Board of Supervisors Nora Vargas for their partnership in this effort.
Thismuch-anticipated announcement comeson the heels of Mayor Glorias triptwo weeks agoto Washington D.C. where he met with federal officials, including the White House and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner,to advocate for an end to thesetravel restrictions.
Mayor Gloriahas beenan outspoken advocateon this issueasit has greatly impactedSan Diegofamilies who livebinationally and harmed businessesinborder communitieslike San Ysidro andOtayMesawho rely on cross-border commerce.
Mayor Glorias Back to Work SD plan, whichhe introduced as part of his campaign andprovides a framework for economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,called for reopening the border tonon-essential travel.Mayor Gloria has also signed and sent letters to U.S. Secretary of State AntonyBlinkenandU.S. Homeland Security SecretaryAlejandroMayorkas, including a letter, signed jointly bythe Mayors of South Bay cities.
In August, Mayor Gloria successfully passed a resolution at the U.S. Conference of Mayors which urged the Biden-Harris Administration to lift thenon-essential travel restrictions.
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