Fast Facts for August 20, 2021
Looks like land border and ferry crossings between the United States and our northern and southern neighbors, has been extended for at least another month.
Homeland security just issued an order extending the restrictions on non-essential land and ferry crossings at the Mexican and Canadian border until at least September 21st.
The restriction was supposed to be lifted tomorrow — but homeland security says it was extended as a result of the continued threat of rapid Covid19 transmission.
These restrictions on non-essential travel have been in place since march of 2020 and have been extended every month since. Of course, there are many exceptions for people to cross the border legally and this doesn’t apply to air travel, cross-border trade nor does it apply to American citizens who want to come home. Homeland security also says it continues to enforce all immigration laws and pandemic related immigration restrictions.
PLUS
I just want to warn you — in about two weeks– your federal pandemic related unemployment benefits will come to an end. Experts say that could impact up to 11 million of you.
The American rescue stimulus law extended PEUC and PUA unemployment benefits until September 6th. But because of the way unemployment is paid out…and depending on your state — your last check could come on September 4th or 5th.
More than a dozen states ended these pandemic related benefits in June and July — as I described in this video.
But for everyone else — if you live in a state where you are still receiving unemployment even though you were self-employed, a gig worker, long-term unemployed or aren’t normally eligible for benefits and you’re still getting the extra $300 bucks a week from the federal government — that’s all coming to an end… Regardless if you’re still technically eligible.
Now — if you still have a balance on your state benefits, only those will continue along with work search requirements. But understand — every person only gets a certain number of weeks of unemployment benefits per year and then it’s done. Each state has a different number. So you better check.
The only way these pandemic related benefits will be extended is if congress passes a new law. And at this point there is zero movement on that. Plus both chambers of congress are on recess until after the September 6th deadline.
