Citing concerns over the Delta variant of the Wuhan coronavirus, federal officials announced Monday that there would be no changes to longstanding U.S. travel restrictions that have kept most international travelers from entering the United States.
"Given where we are today with the Delta variant, the United States will maintain existing travel restrictions at this point," explained an official, according to an exclusive Reuters report. "Driven by the Delta variant, cases are rising here at home, particularly among those who are unvaccinated and appear likely [to] continue to increase in the weeks ahead."
NEW: The U.S. will not lift any existing travel restrictions for the U.K. and 26 Schengen European nations citing concerns over the COVID-19 Delta variant.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2021
The United States currently bars most non-U.S. citizens who within the last 14 days have been in the United Kingdom, the 26 Schengen nations in Europe without border controls, Ireland, China, India, South Africa, Iran and Brazil.
via Reuters
Yet illegal immigrants, whose previous whereabouts and COVID or vaccine status are unknown, are still streaming across the border at historic rates as the Biden administration fails to address the crisis their policies created.
Just last week, U.S. officials declared that America's land borders with Canada and Mexico would remain closed, apparently only to legal border-crossers, as pictures and footage of illegal immigrants amassed along the U.S.-Mexico border showed American officials letting in untested migrants by the hundreds.
To decrease the spread of COVID-19, including the Delta variant, the United States is extending restrictions on non-essential travel at our land and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico through August 21, while ensuring the continued flow of essential trade and travel.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 21, 2021
The vetting process — or utter lack thereof — by which illegal immigrants are allowed across the southern border is woefully lax compared to how air travelers — including U.S. citizens — to the United States are screened.
Current State Department guidance requires "all air passengers entering the United States (including U.S. citizens and Legal Permanent Residents) to present a negative COVID-19 test, taken within three calendar days of departure or proof of recovery from the virus within the last 90 days" and "airlines must deny boarding of passengers who do not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery."
As Katie noted last week, "cases of Wuhan coronavirus are exploding" at the U.S.-Mexico border as "illegal immigrants aren't being properly tested by the federal government, whose officials are putting them on buses and planes to destinations around the country."
BREAKING: FOX News has confirmed that the number of Covid-positive detainees in @CBPRGV sector has increased 900% vs the previous 14 months... 135 positive detainees IN JUST THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF JULY... RGV accounts for 60% of confirmed cases in entire USBP @USBPChiefRGV
— Griff Jenkins (@GriffJenkins) July 20, 2021
If the Biden administration and federal health experts are so concerned about an increase in Wuhan coronavirus cases and the Delta variant, a great way to slow that spread would be for the border to be truly closed, not just to legal crossers, and for the government to stop sending potentially contagious illegal immigrants on planes and buses to other parts of the country.