Families continue to protest U.S.-Canadian border closure

Nearly every Sunday for the past several months, families separated by the U.S.-Canadian border closure have gathered on both sides to protest the shut down.

THERE IS GROWING FRUSTRATIONAMONG MANY WESTERN NEWYORKERS... WHO HAVE BEENSEPARATED FROM LOVED ONES WHOARE LIVING IN CANADA.

THEBORDER BETWEEN OUR TWOCOUNTRIES HAS BEEN CLOSED TOALL NON- ESSENTIAL TRAVEL FOR14 MONTHS.

SEVEN EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTER OLIVIA PROIA HASMORE ON THE PUSH TO OPEN THEBORDER... NOW THAT COVIDNUMBERS ARE GOING DOWN SODRAMATICALLY}} (00:00) (00:07) (00:31)NAT CARS HONK IN SUPPORT OFREOPENING THE U.S.- CANANDAINBORDER... MERTON: I'VE BEENHERE EVERY SUNDAY NO MATTERRAIN OR SHINE.

IT'S BEEN VERYVERY HARD TO GET THROUGH THISEMOTIONALLY.

FAMILIES WHO ARETORN APART BY THE BORDERCLOSURE GATHER IN BOTHCOUNTRIES EACH SUNDAY.

SUESORRENTO'S SON MARRIED HISPARTNER - A CANADIAN - EARLYON IN THE PANDEMIC SO THEYWOULDN'T BE SEPARATED BY THEBORDER... BUT NOW, THAT HE'SMOVED TO CANADA, HE CAN'T SEEHIS MOM OR SISTER.

SUE: ITBREAKS MY HEART BECAUSE WHENHE'S HAVING A REALLY BAD DAYHE'LL FACETIME ME AND AND HECRIES.

IT GETS ME UPSET.

IT'SHARD.

HIS SISTER AND MOM SAYHE SPENDS MOST OF HIS DAYSALONE.

SUE: HE'S WAITING ONHIS WORK VISA.

HE'S LITERALLYBY HIMSELF DAY AFTER DAYBECAUSE HIS HUSBAND DOES WORK.IT'S REALLY HARD ON HIM MENTALHEALTH WISE.

SOME SEPARATEDCOUPLES ARE REACHING THEIRBREAKING POINT... MERTON: WEENDED IT LAST WEEK.

BECAUSEWHEN IS THIS GOING TO END?

ICAN'T HANDLE THIS ANYMORE.IT'S AFFECTING ALL THESEFAMILIES FOR NO REASON.

ALLTHIS UNECESSARY SUFFERING.THESE FAMILIES SAY ALL THEYCAN DO IS HOPE FOR THE DAYTHEY CAN WRAP THEIR ARMSAROUND THEIR LOVED ONES AGAIN.SUE: I USED TO BEG HIM ALL THETIME, COME ON HUG YOUR MOM.THERE'S GOING TO COME A DAYWHEN YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TOHUG YOUR MOM AND WE'RE NOTDOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.

SONOW HE TELLS ME ALL THE TIME,I'M GOING TO GET ALL THE HUGSBACK THAT I'VE MISSED.

OP7EWN.NOW TO "A FIRST" FOR WOMEN INTHE "U-S" MILITARY O