The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on May 19 that border restrictions currently in place would be extended for both Canada and Mexico until June 22, ahead of the current agreements expiring on May 21. These restrictions apply to land ports of entry, and they limit cross border travel to essential purposes, including:

• U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents returning to the United States;
• Traveling for medical purposes (e.g., to receive medical treatment in the United States);
• Traveling to attend educational institutions;
• 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 Canada in furtherance of such work);
• 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);
• Engaging in lawful cross-border trade (e.g., truck drivers supporting the movement of cargo between the United States and Canada);
• Engaging 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
• Engaging in military-related travel or operations.

The restrictions are primarily intended to curb tourism-related traveling, as the Administration has strongly signaled that it wants to continue to keep cross-border commercial trade flowing.