If hockey players are allowed to cross the border for NHL playoff games, then so should separated families. That’s the message from Congressman Brian Higgins.

Higgins spoke in response to reports the NHL is working to exempt its players from COVID-19 border restrictions.

Border crossings between the U.S. and Canada have been closed to non-essential travel since March of last year.

Higgins, along with Americans affected, has called for the border to reopen for months. He says that even though Canada is lagging behind in the fight against COVID-19 a large segment of the U.S. is vaccinated and the chances of contracting the virus are low.

He says he hopes to see a full reopening of the border by July.