Document Headings

                    Document headings vary by document type but may contain                    the following:                  
                -                       the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document                    
                -                       the number of the CFR title and the number of each part                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly                      related to                    
                -                       the agency docket number / agency internal file number                    
                -                       the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory                      Actions                    

                    See the                                          Document Drafting Handbook                                        for more details.                  

###### Department of Homeland Security

###### U.S. Customs and Border Protection

          - 19 CFR Chapter I

# AGENCY:

Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

# ACTION:

Notification of continuation of temporary travel restrictions.

# SUMMARY:

This document announces the decision of the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to continue to temporarily limit the travel of individuals from Mexico into the United States at land ports of entry along the United States-Mexico border. Such travel will be limited to “essential travel,” as further defined in this document.

# DATES:

These restrictions go into effect at 12 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on December 22, 2020 and will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. EST on January 21, 2020.

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stephanie Watson, Office of Field Operations Coronavirus Coordination Cell, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at 202-325-0840.

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

## Background

                    On March 24, 2020, DHS published notice of the Secretary's decision to temporarily limit the travel of individuals from Mexico into the United States at land ports of entry along the United States-Mexico border to “essential travel,” as further defined in that document.[1]                                          The document described the developing circumstances regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and stated that, given the outbreak and continued transmission and spread of the virus associated with COVID-19 within the United States and globally, the Secretary had determined that the risk of continued transmission and spread of the virus associated with COVID-19 between the United States and Mexico posed a “specific threat to human life or national interests.” The Secretary later published a series of notifications continuing such limitations on travel until 11:59 p.m. EST on December 21, 2020.[2] 

                    The Secretary has continued to monitor and respond to the COVID-19                           ( print page 83434)                        pandemic. As of the week of December 8, there have been over 65 million confirmed cases globally, with over 1.5 million confirmed deaths.[3]                                          There have been over 15.2 million confirmed and probable cases within the United States,[4]                                          over 400,000 confirmed cases in Canada,[5]                                          and over 1.1 million confirmed cases in Mexico.[6] 

## Notice of Action

Given the outbreak and continued transmission and spread of COVID-19 within the United States and globally, the Secretary has determined that the risk of continued transmission and spread of the virus associated with COVID-19 between the United States and Mexico poses an ongoing “specific threat to human life or national interests.”

                    U.S. and Mexican officials have mutually determined that non-essential travel between the United States and Mexico poses additional risk of transmission and spread of the virus associated with COVID-19 and places the populace of both nations at increased risk of contracting the virus associated with COVID-19. Moreover, given the sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus, returning to previous levels of travel between the two nations places the personnel staffing land ports of entry between the United States and Mexico, as well as the individuals traveling through these ports of entry, at increased risk of exposure to the virus associated with COVID-19. Accordingly, and consistent with the authority granted in 19 U.S.C. 1318(b)(1)(C) and (b)(2),[7]                                          I have determined that land ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border will continue to suspend normal operations and will only allow processing for entry into the United States of those travelers engaged in “essential travel,” as defined below. Given the definition of “essential travel” below, this temporary alteration in land ports of entry operations should not interrupt legitimate trade between the two nations or disrupt critical supply chains that ensure food, fuel, medicine, and other critical materials reach individuals on both sides of the border.                

For purposes of the temporary alteration in certain designated ports of entry operations authorized under 19 U.S.C. 1318(b)(1)(C) and (b)(2), travel through the land ports of entry and ferry terminals along the United States-Mexico border shall be limited to “essential travel,” which includes, but is not limited to—
    - U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents returning to the United States;
    - Individuals traveling for medical purposes ( e.g.,                      to receive medical treatment in the United States);                
    - Individuals traveling to attend educational institutions;
    - Individuals traveling to work in the United States ( e.g.,                      individuals working in the farming or agriculture industry who must travel between the United States and Mexico in furtherance of such work);                
    - Individuals traveling for emergency response and public health purposes ( e.g.,                      government officials or emergency responders entering the United States to support federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial government efforts to respond to COVID-19 or other emergencies);                
    - Individuals engaged in lawful cross-border trade ( e.g.,                      truck drivers supporting the movement of cargo between the United States and Mexico);                
    - Individuals engaged in official government travel or diplomatic travel;
    - Members of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the spouses and children of members of the U.S. Armed Forces, returning to the United States; and
    - Individuals engaged in military-related travel or operations.

The following travel does not fall within the definition of “essential travel” for purposes of this Notification—
    - Individuals traveling for tourism purposes ( e.g.,                      sightseeing, recreation, gambling, or attending cultural events).                

                    At this time, this Notification does not apply to air, freight rail, or sea travel between the United States and Mexico, but does apply to passenger rail, passenger ferry travel, and pleasure boat travel between the United States and Mexico. These restrictions are temporary in nature and shall remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. EST on January 21, 2020. This Notification may be amended or rescinded prior to that time, based on circumstances associated with the specific threat.[8] 

The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is hereby directed to prepare and distribute appropriate guidance to CBP personnel on the continued implementation of the temporary measures set forth in this Notification. The CBP Commissioner may determine that other forms of travel, such as travel in furtherance of economic stability or social order, constitute “essential travel” under this Notification. Further, the CBP Commissioner may, on an individualized basis and for humanitarian reasons or for other purposes in the national interest, permit the processing of travelers to the United States not engaged in “essential travel.”

                    The Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad F. Wolf, having reviewed and approved this document, has delegated the authority to electronically sign this document to Chad R. Mizelle, who is the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the General Counsel for DHS, for purposes of publication in the                     **Federal Register**                    .                

Chad R. Mizelle,

Senior Official Performing the Duties of the General Counsel, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

# Footnotes

1.                             85 FR 16547 (Mar. 24, 2020). That same day, DHS also published notice of the Secretary's decision to temporarily limit the travel of individuals from Canada into the United States at land ports of entry along the United States-Canada border to “essential travel,” as further defined in that document. 85 FR 16548 (Mar. 24, 2020).                    
        Back to Citation      

2.                                                     *See*85 FR 74604 (Nov. 23, 2020); 85 FR 67275 (Oct. 22, 2020); 85 FR 59669 (Sept. 23, 2020); 85 FR 51633 (Aug. 21, 2020); 85 FR 44183 (July 22, 2020); 85 FR 37745 (June 24, 2020); 85 FR 31057 (May 22, 2020); 85 FR 22353 (Apr. 22, 2020). DHS also published parallel notifications of the Secretary's decisions to continue temporarily limiting the travel of individuals from Canada into the United States at land ports of entry along the United States-Canada border to “essential travel.”                         *See*85 FR 74603 (Nov. 23, 2020); 85 FR 67276 (Oct. 22, 2020); 85 FR 59670 (Sept. 23, 2020); 85 FR 51634 (Aug. 21, 2020); 85 FR 44185 (July 22, 2020); 85 FR 37744 (June 24, 2020); 85 FR 31050 (May 22, 2020); 85 FR 22352 (Apr. 22, 2020).                    
        Back to Citation      

3.                             WHO, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiological Update (Dec. 8, 2020), available at                         *https://www.who.int/​publications/​m/​item/​weekly-epidemiological-update-8-december-2020.*
        Back to Citation      

4.                             CDC, COVID Data Tracker (accessed Dec. 10, 2020), available at                         *https://covid.cdc.gov/​covid-data-tracker/​.*
        Back to Citation      

5.                             WHO, COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update (Dec. 8, 2020).                    
        Back to Citation      

6.                                                     *Id.*
        Back to Citation      

7.                             19 U.S.C. 1318(b)(1)(C) provides that “[n]otwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Treasury, when necessary to respond to a national emergency declared under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601*et seq.*) or to a specific threat to human life or national interests,” is authorized to “[t]ake any . . . action that may be necessary to respond directly to the national emergency or specific threat.” On March 1, 2003, certain functions of the Secretary of the Treasury were transferred to the Secretary of Homeland Security.                         *See*6 U.S.C. 202(2), 203(1). Under 6 U.S.C. 212(a)(1), authorities “related to Customs revenue functions” were reserved to the Secretary of the Treasury. To the extent that any authority under section 1318(b)(1) was reserved to the Secretary of the Treasury, it has been delegated to the Secretary of Homeland Security.                         *See*                         Treas. Dep't Order No. 100-16 (May 15, 2003), 68 FR 28322 (May 23, 2003). Additionally, 19 U.S.C. 1318(b)(2) provides that “[n]otwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, when necessary to respond to a specific threat to human life or national interests, is authorized to close temporarily any Customs office or port of entry or take any other lesser action that may be necessary to respond to the specific threat.” Congress has vested in the Secretary of Homeland Security the “functions of all officers, employees, and organizational units of the Department,” including the Commissioner of CBP. 6 U.S.C. 112(a)(3).                    
        Back to Citation      

8.                             DHS is working closely with counterparts in Mexico and Canada to identify appropriate public health conditions to safely ease restrictions in the future and support U.S. border communities.                    
        Back to Citation      

[FR Doc. 2020-28375 Filed 12-21-20; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 9112-FP-P