Foreigners who are obese or have avoidable health conditions can now be denied U.S. migrant visas under new guidance by the Trump administration.
The move aims to reduce risk of foreigners becoming a drain on public benefits and becoming a “public charge” that drains taxpayer money for the benefit of unhealthy immigrants.
Infowars.com reports: An internal cable sent to State Department employees instructed officers to assess an applicant’s health along with overall financial picture when deciding to issue a U.S. immigrant visa. Notably however, a physical examination was already part of the visa application process. While the cable itself doesn’t specifically use the word “fat” or “obese,” it lists “metabolic diseases” which often times implies obesity. The Independent said:
On the same day that Donald Trump unveiled plans to slash the consumer cost of weight-loss drugs, the president issued a new directive banning obese foreigners or people with diabetes from obtaining visas to visit the United States.
“Certain medical conditions — including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental health conditions — can require hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of care,” the cable states. “Does the applicant have adequate financial resources to cover the costs of such care over his entire expected lifespan without seeking public cash assistance or long-term institutionalization at government expense?”
The new directive brings back the “public charge” rule Trump used during his first administration which allowed green cards to be denied to immigrants who received at least one public benefit such as Medicaid, nutrition assistance, welfare or public housing vouchers for more than one year within any three year period.
“Self-sufficiency has been a longstanding principle of U.S. immigration policy,” an earlier cable said last week. “…and the public charge ground of inadmissibility has been a part of our immigration law for more than 100 years … You must examine all aspects of the case including the petition, visa application, medical report, affidavit of support, and any information uncovered in the course of screening and vetting.”
Trump is putting the financial interests of American citizens over the agenda of increasing the U.S. population with unhealthy foreigners.
“It’s no secret the Trump administration is putting the interests of the American people first. This includes enforcing policies that ensure our immigration system is not a burden on the American taxpayer,” principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
The Hill detailed how this new guidance will not bar foreigners with these conditions from getting an immigration visa, just that it will now be part of the consideration process:
A State Department official stressed to The Hill that the decision to issue a visa has always been at the discretion of an officer.
Officers aren’t being instructed to reject an applicant because they have a certain medical condition, they said, but rather consider the “overall impact” if someone would be unlikely to be able to pay for their own medical care.
“It’s addressed on an individual, case-by-case basis,” the official said.
They gave the example of a diabetic, adding that they would not face rejection because they need insulin, but could be rejected if Medicaid would be needed to cover the drug.
