Grandparents await hugs, spouses reunite as US borders open

The U.S. has fully reopened its borders with Mexico and Canada and lifted restrictions on travel that covered most of Europe

SAN DIEGO -- The U.S. fully reopened its borders with Mexico and Canada on Monday and lifted restrictions on travel that covered most of Europe, setting the stage for emotional reunions nearly two years in the making and providing a boost for the travel industry decimated by the pandemic.

The restrictions, among the most severe in U.S. history, kept families apart, including spouses who have not been able to hug in months, grandparents whose grandchildren doubled in age since they last saw them, and uncles and aunts who have not met nieces and nephews who are now toddlers.

Lines moved quickly Monday morning at San Diego's border with Mexico, the busiest crossing in the United States, despite the added checks for vaccinations required to enter the country.

The new rules also allow air travel from a series of countries from which it has been restricted since the early days of the pandemic — as long as the traveler has proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test.