Visitors at the U.S.-Mexico Border ‘Grateful to God’ For Open Border Travel

Tags: Currents Border, Family, Media, Mexican Catholics, Mexican-Americans, Mexico, migrants, Migration, World News

Currents News Staff

Grateful. That’s the word that has come out of the mouths of every person. All of them are stepping foot into the country for the first time in almost two years – something they say they’ll never take for granted.

Andres Vasquez is thankful to God that he and his family is there. 

“Gracias a Dios aqui estamos mire,” Andres said.

El Paso in Texas and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico were sister cities divided by the pandemic – now, they’re reunited once again. Lines of people waited to cross into the U.S. since 7 p.m. as the borders opened to non-essential travel at 10 p.m. after loosening of travel restrictions put in place because of the pandemic.

“Siempre brinco y ella es la afectada pues,” Andres said.

Andres works as a semi driver and was able to cross back and forth between both cities for work. His wife, on the other hand, was not considered essential and has been unable to cross since the beginning of the pandemic. She is still in Juarez, Mexico, but is happy that her family got to cross. Most of her family lives in the United States.

“Casi toda la familia de ella esta aqui nadamas. Ella esta en Juarez y se siente pero ahora se siente feliz que ya vienen por ella,” Andres said.

She was forced to rely on her family to be able to come and visit her in Juarez but because of long wait times to cross, those moments were few and far in between.

That’s something Maria Teresa Herrera can relate to.

 “Nos visitaban ellos per lamentablemente nosotros no podíamos hacer lo mismo,” Maria said.

She says she was grateful her family could come visit her but says it was still painful knowing she couldn’t do the same.

 “Estaba facil nos trataron muy bien, fue rapido,” Maria said.

The both say the journey was quick and easy even though they had to show proof of vaccination. They say this experience has solidified just how the hearts of these two cities beat as one.