The federal government is launching an ad campaign to prevent a new surge of illegal migration as it reopens land border crossings, trying to prevent cartels from misinforming migrants about the ease in restrictions.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Tuesday will launch a “robust” campaign at the national and local levels to explain how vaccinated travelers can legally cross at ports of entry along the northern and southern borders, according to Aaron Bowker, the communications director for the CBP’s Office of Field Operations, who briefed reporters in a call earlier in the day.
“What we’re doing is trying to educate the public that this is specific to legal crossings at our ports of entry for vaccinated travelers who have appropriate documentation,” Bowker said in a call with the Washington Examiner Tuesday afternoon. “There’s no changes to irregular migration.”
RECORD FENTANYL SEIZURES AT BORDER CONTRIBUTED TO SOARING OVERDOSES IN U.S.
The messaging campaign, which will be rolled out in part on social media, is intended to combat possible misinformation, including that which could be spread by cartels that might use the change in policy to entice migrants to pay them to get to the United States.
“The campaign is to educate the public because we do understand that there will always be misinformation to victimize vulnerable migrants,” Bowker said.
Starting Monday, vaccinated noncitizens may enter the U.S. from the land borders or at ferry ports nationwide. For the past 18 months, only travelers on essential business have been allowed into the country. Now, travelers coming into the U.S. for any reason will be allowed as long as they can prove that they are fully vaccinated.
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In March 2020, the Trump administration imposed a monthlong ban on foreign, nonessential travelers seeking admission from Canada or Mexico. The move was at the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
