President Joe Biden may soon require nonresident travelers crossing into the United States to be fully vaxxed, according to a report from the Associated Press.

From the AP:

President Joe Biden will require essential, nonresident travelers crossing U.S. land borders, such as truck drivers, government and emergency response officials, to be fully vaccinated beginning on Jan. 22, the administration planned to announce Tuesday.

A senior administration official said the requirement, which the White House previewed in October, brings the rules for essential travelers in line with those that took effect earlier this month for leisure travelers, when the U.S. reopened its borders to fully vaccinated individuals.

An official who spoke on condition of anonymity told the AP that the rules will apply only to non-U.S. nationals. “American citizens and permanent residents may still enter the U.S. regardless of their vaccination status, but face additional testing hurdles because officials believe they more easily contract and spread COVID-19 and in order to encourage them to get a shot,” according to the report.

The White House had been pushing for this type of requirement for months even before it went into effect for non-essential visitors on Nov. 8. The AP also reported:

The later deadline is beyond the point by which the Biden administration hopes to have large businesses require their employees to be vaccinated or tested weekly under an emergency regulation issued by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration. That rule is now delayed by litigation, but the White House has encouraged businesses to implement their own mandates regardless of the federal requirement with the aim of boosting vaccination.

This just might be yet another step towards enacting even harsher measures to force more people to take the jab. This administration has shown that they are willing to take whatever steps necessary to enforce their vaccines — despite having said at the beginning that they would not resort to such measures.

However, it appears the White House is taking gradual steps towards a more severe COVID regime. Hopefully, those fighting back will be able to hamper the Democrats’ progress long enough to prevent it from turning the United States into Australia.