LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - As border towns continue to financially suffer due to lack of tourism, Congressman Henry Cuellar is proposing a pilot program that could potentially allow more visitors into the country.

The program suggests implementing enhanced health screenings at a minimum of two land ports of entry on both the northern and southern borders to detect ill travelers.

Cuellar says the proposed screening would consist of the following phases:

- In the first one, travelers will proceed to standard entry processing.

- In phase 2, a health screening will be conducted by a team of registered nurses.

- Travelers with identified risk of COVID-19 infection would be passed phase 3 which includes rapid testing.

- In phase 4: travelers who test negative will be allowed to proceed to their destination.

If the traveler tested positive and is a foreign visitor, entry will be denied.

If they are a U.S. citizen or legal permanent residents, they will be will be directed to a U.S. quarantine station.

Cuellar says he has submitted the proposal to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for consideration.