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Donald Trump will close the southern border to all but 'essential travel' bringing Mexico in line with Canada and all illegals trying to cross will be immediately returned to their country of origin

President Donald Trump on Friday announced a closing of the U.S. southern border with Mexico, putting it on par with an earlier closer of ...

President Donald Trump on Friday announced a closing of the U.S. southern border with Mexico, putting it on par with an earlier closer of the norther border with Canada, and a crackdown on illegal immigrants that would see them returned immediately to their country of origin.
America has turned to an isolation policy to restrict the spread of the coronavirus. 
'Both northern and southern border – they’re both being treated equally,' the president said during a White House briefing.
'The actions we are taking together with our North American partners will save countless lives,' he said.
President Donald Trump on Friday announced a closing of the U.S. southern border with Mexico, putting it on par with Canada
President Donald Trump on Friday announced a closing of the U.S. southern border with Mexico, putting it on par with Canada
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the border closures would go into effect at midnight with a review after 30 days
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the border closures would go into effect at midnight with a review after 30 days
A Customs and Border Protection agent is seen walking on the US side of the San Ysidro crossing port at the U.S.-Mexico border in Tijuana
A Customs and Border Protection agent is seen walking on the US side of the San Ysidro crossing port at the U.S.-Mexico border in Tijuana
The decisions were made jointly by both countries, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced, and would go into effect at midnight with a review after 30 days.
'The United States and Canada jointly agreed to restrict all nonessential traffic across our border. This decision goes into effect tonight at midnight. The restrictions that we reviewed after 30 days,' he said.
The United States and Mexico have agreed to restrict nonessential travel throughout our shared border. Both countries know the importance of working together to limit the spread of the virus and ensure the commerce that supports our economy continues,' the secretary of state added.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said the border would be closed to everything but cargo and essential travel, such as for medical purposes or attending school.
'Let me be clear that neither of these agreements with Canada or Mexico applies to lawful trade or commerce. Essential commerce activities will not be impacted. We will continue to maintain a strong and secure economic supply chain across our borders. A few examples of essential travel include but certainly not limited to individuals traveling for medical purposes, to attend educational institutions, for emergency response public health services, and those involved in lawful cross-border trade,' Wolf said.
Additionally officials announced that - because of a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - illegals would be returned automatically to their home country and not allowed a hearing to make their case or pled sanctuary. 
The Homeland Security secretary said it was being done to prevent the spread of the disease to border agents and the greater public. 
'The CDC director has determined that the spread of the coronavirus and border patrol stations, detention facilities presents a serious danger to migrants, our front-line agents, and officers end of American people,' Wolf noted. 
He said the order goes into effect Friday midnight and argued the move was being done to prevent a strain on the American health system during the pandemic.
'Many of these individuals arrived with little or no identity travel or medical documentation, making public health risk determinations all but impossible. It is also important to note that the outbreak on our southern border will likely increase the strain on health systems in our border communities, taking away important and life-saving resources from American citizens,' Wolf said. 

There are 118 coronavirus cases currently in Mexico and over 14,000 in the U.S. 
The closure of the southern border has been expected since the U.S. closed its northern border with Canada to all but essential travel as the countries work to stem the spread of the coronavirus. 
Pompeo, in a tweet on Thursday, said he was working closely with Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard, his Mexican counterpart, 'on travel restrictions that balance protecting our citizens from further transmission of #COVID19.'  
Mexico is the United States' largest trading partner, just ahead of Canada.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials briefed business leaders Thursday on plans to prohibit non-essential travel with Mexico, similar to a measure announced earlier this week on the Canadian border, Paola Avila, chair of the Border Trade Alliance, a business group, told the Associated Press.
U.S. officials provided a long list of 'essential' workers that would be unaffected going to and from their jobs, including farmworkers, restaurant and grocery store employees and bus drivers, Avila said. Mexico was preparing similar restrictions on visitors from the United States.

More than 14,000 confirmed cases of the disease have surfaced in the United States with 211 deaths. The United States and Canada also plan close their border to nonessential traffic in the coming days
More than 14,000 confirmed cases of the disease have surfaced in the United States with 211 deaths. The United States and Canada also plan close their border to nonessential traffic in the coming days

On Thursday, the State Department issued a level four warning - its more severe - the Americans should not travel abroad during the coronavirus.  
Additionally, the State Department warned people 'if you decide to travel abroad or are already outside the United States' then you should 'have a travel plan that does not rely on the U.S. Government for assistance.'
'Consider returning to your country of residence immediately using whatever commercial means are available,' the department advises. 
'There's a lot of commercial flights out there,' Wolf said of the decision, noting both U.S. and foreign carriers are operating. 
Mexico is a popular spring break and vacation destination for Americans. 
Mexican officials first suggested the idea a week ago.
Health minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said at a press conference last Friday that 'Mexico wouldn't bring the virus to the United States, rather the United States would bring it here.  
'If it were technically necessary, we would consider mechanisms of restriction or stronger surveillance,' he said.
Cars line up to cross into the U.S. at the Mexico-U.S. San Ysidro border crossing after the mayor of Tijuana urged residents to restrict visits to the United States to reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease
Cars line up to cross into the U.S. at the Mexico-U.S. San Ysidro border crossing after the mayor of Tijuana urged residents to restrict visits to the United States to reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease
President Trump said the action was taken 'by mutual consent' and would not affect trade
President Trump said the action was taken 'by mutual consent' and would not affect trade
Trump closed the northern U.S. border with Canada on Wednesday, tweeting that 'non-essential' traffic would be banned.
'We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!' he wrote.
How the ban will work and exactly when it takes effect was not immediately clear. 
The move came after Canada and the United States had worked out the details of a mutual ban on non-essential travel between the two countries amid the new coronavirus pandemic.

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