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In this video, I delve into the contrasting responses to COVID-19 restrictions in Detroit, Windsor, El Paso, and Juarez. The shared challenges and divergent outcomes for small businesses are highlighted, showcasing the impact of national policies on local economies. Viewers will witness the unity in Detroit and Windsor's approach versus the disparities faced by El Paso and Juarez, ultimately emphasizing the resilience of these borderland communities amidst the pandemic.

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Borderland Resilience: El Paso and Ciudad Juarez

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In this video, I delve into the intricate relationship between El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, showcasing their economic and cultural ties. I highlight the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and communities, emphasizing the disparities in policy enforcement and outcomes. Through stories of vendors and workers, I illustrate the resilience and adaptability of borderland communities facing unprecedented challenges. The video aims to shed light on the dual reality of these cities during the pandemic, portraying both fragility and resourcefulness.

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In this video, I delve into the deep-rooted relationship between Detroit and Windsor, showcasing how the pandemic drastically altered their intertwined economies and communities. The exhibit highlights the impact on small businesses, the resilience of the borderland, and symbols of hope like the new Windsor-Detroit Bridge. No specific action is requested from viewers.

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Struggling to Survive: Impact of COVID-19 on Border Businesses

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Join me as I explore the repercussions of COVID-19 on local businesses and workers along the U.S. border. Discover how border restrictions transformed vibrant cultural hubs into isolated zones, affecting lives and livelihoods. Dive into the heart of border communities to understand the challenges faced by small businesses. No action requested.

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Torta vendor in Ciudad Juárez following COVID-19 regulations and guidelines by maintaining social distancing with yellow tape. 

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July 2021: Resourcefulness of Borderland Vendors and Businesses

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July 2021: Resourcefulness of Borderland Vendors and Businesses

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Street vendors in Ciudad Juárez, like Saúl Galindo, faced a crisis when COVID-19 restrictions reduced border crossings. “These times have put us in a crisis and it’s all left us without work. This work is what sustains our families,” Galindo said. Despite signs on bridges barring their presence, vendors continued to sell to commuters on the Bridge of the Americas because they had no other options. Meanwhile, El Paso businesses, heavily reliant on Juárez shoppers, struggled with dwindling customers. These challenges highlight the limited options available to borderland communities due to restrictions, yet their persistence reflects the resourcefulness that defines borderland culture.

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November 2021: Connected Through a Shared Borderland

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November 2021: Connected Through a Shared Borderland

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Like the Detroit-Windsor borderlanders, the El Paso-Juárez borderlanders share a special economic relationship. Cross-border shoppers from Ciudad Juárez and other parts of northern Mexico spend nearly $1.3 billion a year. Samuel Lara, an employee at Simple Mobile, claims that almost 80% of customers are from Mexico. However, after COVID-19, many borderlanders feel like they have "one leg in one country and the other leg in the other." Many have felt the strong impact of being further separated, which leads to less prosperity for both sides.

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Border residents eager to reunite after nearly 2 years apart

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EL PASO -- Along the border, residents and businesses are counting the days until the Monday when pandemic-related travel restrictions are lifted,…

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Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweet on imposing more land travel restrictions for non-essential activities to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

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March 2021: Two Strategies for Tackling COVID-19 

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March 2021: Two Strategies for Tackling COVID-19 

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Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico tweeted this, El Paso Matters reported confusion as border crossings operated normally even after the announcement.

At the beginning of the outbreak, only the U.S. was limiting non-essential travel, a key period during which experts deemed this tactic "effective." Even as Mexico made this announcement, more people recognized that, over time, its effectiveness diminished, leading to debates about whether continuing the restrictions was worth the economic damage, particularly from not allowing Mexican tourists.

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Para prevenir la propagación de #COVID19, 🇲🇽 impondrá a partir del 19 de marzo de 2021, restricciones al tránsito terrestre para actividades no esenciales en su frontera norte y sur.

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Para prevenir la propagación de #COVID19, 🇲🇽 impondrá a partir del 19 de marzo de 2021, restricciones al tránsito terrestre para actividades no esenciales en su frontera norte y sur.

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Para prevenir la propagación de #COVID19, 🇲🇽 impondrá a partir del 19 de marzo de 2021, restricciones al tránsito terrestre para actividades no esenciales en su frontera norte y sur.
— Relaciones Exteriores (@SRE_mx) March 18, 2021

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Para prevenir la propagación de #COVID19, 🇲🇽 impondrá a partir del 19 de marzo de 2021, restricciones al tránsito terrestre para actividades no esenciales en su frontera norte y sur.

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Para prevenir la propagación de #COVID19, 🇲🇽 impondrá a partir del 19 de marzo de 2021, restricciones al tránsito terrestre para actividades no esenciales en su frontera norte y sur.

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Para prevenir la propagación de #COVID19, 🇲🇽 impondrá a partir del 19 de marzo de 2021, restricciones al tránsito terrestre para actividades no esenciales en su frontera norte y sur.

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Photograph of two men enter Mexico on the Puente Libre in Ciudad Juarez on March 19, 2021. Mexico had announced new border crossing restrictions. Binational commuters interviewed by El Paso Times had not seen any new restrictions that morning.

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March 2021: One-Sided Border Restrictions Strain Local Businesses

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March 2021: One-Sided Border Restrictions Strain Local Businesses

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Mexico left its border relatively open to U.S. citizens, allowing commerce and tourism to continue even after announcing border crossing restrictions. In contrast, Texas and the United States enforced stricter policies limiting Mexican shoppers' flow into El Paso. These policies caused El Paso businesses to suffer significant losses, some even closing permanently. In El Paso, small business revenues decreased by 32% between January 2020 and March 2021, and 25% of small businesses closed during that period. Juárez, on the other hand, experienced fewer business closures and even reported higher-than-usual Christmas sales during the pandemic, further highlighting the economic disparity.

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Photograph showing the Gordie Howe International Bridge under construction, capturing progress on one of the largest infrastructure projects connecting Canada and the U.S.

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September 2020: Gordie Howe Bridge and Cross-Border Collaboration

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September 2020: Gordie Howe Bridge and Cross-Border Collaboration

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The bridge symbolizes cross-border collaboration and shared commitment between Detroit and Windsor. This project employs over 2,800 people, with 50% of the workforce local to Windsor and Detroit. Both countries started building from their respective sides and will meet in the middle, sharing the infrastructure development. Engaging communities on both sides of the border further fosters a sense of unity instead of division. The bridge will only further serve as a symbol for deeper economic, social, and cultural integration, reflecting the interconnectedness of borderland communities.

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Screenshot of a CBC News article titled "Hi, neighbo(u)rs: Detroit businesses look forward to return of Windsorites."

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October 2021: Detroit Businesses Await the Return of Canadian Customers

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October 2021: Detroit Businesses Await the Return of Canadian Customers

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This article highlights the Detroit-Windsor borderland's deep economic, social, and cultural interdependence. Businesses like Detroit's Eastern Market and Mexicantown Restaurant thrived on the steady flow of Canadian customers. Bob DiMattia, the owner of Mexicantown, reflected on his connection with his neighbors with humor by joking, "Oh, I'll throw a couple of bottles of margaritas in the river, and hopefully, it floats across. and gets to you guys," showing the borderland's resilience and camaraderie. Although business owners like DiMattia note that it is "definitely a lot different now," Detroit residents also expressed how much they missed crossing the border to visit Windsor, with Katie Edmunds, an operations manager, saying that it was an "odd vibe for Windsorites and Detroit residents not to be able to socialize and do business together." Furthermore, she says she has "missed going over" to Windsor, showing a reciprocal relationship.

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The Ambassador Bridge connects Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Canada.

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March 2020: Ambassador Bridge Used Only by Freight Trucks

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March 2020: Ambassador Bridge Used Only by Freight Trucks

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By March 18, 2020, certain U.S.-Canada border crossings, including the Detroit-Windsor border, had already been closed to non-essential travel. The 15,000 cars that used to travel back and forth daily for work or recreation have disappeared, leaving only freight trucks. Canada implemented especially strict border policies, reducing pedestrian, passenger vehicle, and bus crossings at the Canadian border by 91% to 99% last year. These trucks continue crossing the border because the Trump administration guaranteed that COVID-19 policies would not disrupt international "trade and commerce." However, that guarantee did nothing to support local businesses, and with the halt of cross-border travel, the primary revenue source for local businesses also disappeared.

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May 2020: Biz X Magazine Cover During COVID

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May 2020: Biz X Magazine Cover During COVID

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According to Biz X Magazine, the presence of COVID has "forced many to shut their doors. " Although the magazine is still trying to connect the "businesses & people of Windsor, Essex County & metro Detroit," it can no longer do so because the borders are closed to nonessential travelers. This highlights how border policies restricting travel can severely disrupt the culture of supporting small businesses, demonstrating the significant harm such policies can inflict when they separate people and communities.

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Front cover of Biz X Magazine, released October 2018, Volume 21.

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October 2018: Biz X Magazine Cover Pre-COVID

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October 2018: Biz X Magazine Cover Pre-COVID

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The Biz X Magazine highlights the cross-border relationship between Windsor and Detroit, showcasing the interconnectedness of businesses and individuals. Approximately 11,000 trucks and 15,000 cars crossed the Windsor-Detroit border daily, with over 7,000 residents commuting between the two cities for work. This issue of Biz X features the headline "Owning a Small Business is a Big Deal," reflecting the city's optimism around creating new businesses "for ... people in Windsor, Essex County & Metro Detroit," as noted at the bottom of the cover. In 2018, Essex County, which includes Windsor, generated around $395 million in wages for Detroit's economy. However, pandemic-related restrictions abruptly disrupted this harmony.

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Former Acting DHS Director Chad Wolf announces closure of both northern and southern borders to non-essential travel.

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March 2020: U.S. Borders Closed for Non-Essential Travel, Devastating Local Businesses

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March 2020: U.S. Borders Closed for Non-Essential Travel, Devastating Local Businesses

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On March 20, 2020, Acting Homeland Security Director Chad Wolf announced the closure of the northern and southern borders to all non-essential travel. Before he outlined the "essential" travel criteria, he repeatedly stressed that this policy does not affect "lawful trade or commerce." Wolf's emphasis underscored how national border policy often prioritizes the economic interests of large corporations engaged in international trade and commerce while neglecting the needs of borderlanders whose local businesses depend on the flow of people. Additionally, the policy restricted individual freedom and autonomy by limiting travel unless deemed "essential" by the government, raising concerns about such a system's fairness and potential overreach.

Local business owners and workers in Detroit, Michigan; Windsor, Ontario; El Paso, Texas; and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, felt the impact of this policy deeply. While goods for large corporations crossed freely, the people local businesses relied on could not.