Friday afternoon acting U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Chad F. Wolf signed an order that exempts certain foreign professional athletes who compete in professional sporting events organized by certain leagues, including their essential staff and their dependents, from proclamations barring their entry into the U.S.
The order was announced in a press release issued by Homeland Security on Saturday. The order essentially paves the way for NHL players to return to the United States.
From press release:
Based on the benefit live sporting events provide to the national economy, and the need for these sporting events to have full access to their athletes, support staff, and team and league leadership, I hereby determine that it is in the national interest to except from Proclamations 9984, 9992, 9993, and 9996, aliens who compete in professional sporting events organized by certain professional sporting groups, including their professional staff, team and league leadership, spouses, and dependents.
The order, signed on May 22, 2020, states that it is in the national interest to except aliens who compete in professional sporting events organized by certain professional sporting groups, including their professional staff, team and league leadership, spouses, and dependents, from entry restrictions laid out in Proclamations 9984, 9992, 9993, and 9996.
The Department will work with the professional sporting groups to identify the specific athletes, essential staff, team and league leadership, spouses, and dependents covered by this exemption, including Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the Professional Golfers’ Association Tour, the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour, the National Hockey League, the Association of Tennis Professionals, and the Women’s Tennis Association.
It is both necessary and expected that the Canadian Governement will release a similar order that will relax travel restrictions to Canada. Edmonton and Vancouver are vying to become a hub city for the NHL’s imagined return, however, the New York Post is reporting that the league will not select a Canadian city unless the Canadian government grants the NHL an exception to its 14-day quarantine requirement for folks crossing the border.
By Jon Sorensen
