Several Arizona border communities are asking that pandemic crossing restrictions be lifted.

San Luis, Douglas and the port authority in Nogales have all sent President Joe Biden letters with that request, citing the devastating economic impacts of the ongoing restrictions, which have prevented many Mexicans from crossing to shop. Such visits are critical to many border businesses, and local government finances. 

In his letter, San Luis Mayor Gerardo Sanchez says that federal support like the Paycheck Protection Program has helped some businesses stay afloat, but now “many are barely surviving and the continued restriction for Mexican visitors will certainly lead to many more firings and businesses permanently closing their doors.”

“We think that the border crossing restrictions at one point in time absolutely served a valuable purpose,” said Luis Ramírez, an adviser on border issues for the communities that sent letters.

But with rising vaccination in Arizona, and the fact that neighboring Sonora is now considered green, or low risk, on the federal coronavirus scale, he said the time has come to start focusing on reversing the economic impacts of the restrictions.