Border Crossing Vax Rules Pt 1
With today’s Fruit Grower Report, I’m Bob Larson. Representative Dan Newhouse and 11 Congressional colleagues have sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security opposing its Temporary Travel Restrictions requiring proof of COVID vaccination for those coming to the U.S. from Mexico.
The Sunnyside Republican says it raises major concerns for ag employers who rely on foreign guestworkers …
NEWHOUSE … “You know, the Department of Homeland Security, prior to this year, allowed what we deemed as essential, agricultural workers to come to the United States and then, with the work of the growers, it’s their responsibility to get those workers vaccinated.”
The new rule, Newhouse says goes too far …
NEWHOUSE … “The department has not made allowances for that process to happen in that way for this year. And so, we’re bringing this to their attention, telling them that we cannot wait to have these critical workers come to this country and have their vaccinations prior to crossing the border.”
Newhouse says there are many reasons that won’t work …
NEWHOUSE … “Frankly, the lines are long, the vaccine supplies are short and, the truth of the matter is, the vaccines that they’re administering in some of these other countries are not even approved by the federal government, by the United States federal government. They’re some of the less-efficacious vaccines that are available in the world.”
Tune in tomorrow for more on Homeland Securities’ new vaccine mandate that could create unnecessary and damaging problems for agriculture.
