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US Congress may lift HIV travel restriction
Here's something I didn't know: Since 1993, the US is one of only a few countries that has heavily restricted foreign visitors who are HIV-positive, forcing them to obtain approval from the Department of Homeland Security before entering the country.
Several lawmakers want that seemingly outmoded rule changed, however, and a bill is being introduced to do just that. From the AP:
"Now language in a bill extending the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief would delete the restriction. The bill, which directs billions to AIDS programs worldwide and is enthusiastically supported by President Bush, is set for a vote Thursday in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee."
The Bush Administration has expressed that they too are troubled by the HIV-positive travel ban, but many are worried that the proposed solution might be worse than the problem. Under the new scheme, HIV-positive travelers would likely need approval from the US consulate in their home country before visiting the US. In addition, they would need to agree not to apply for an extended stay or permanent residency in the US.
It's unclear how many HIV-positive travelers are denied entry to the US every year, especially since US officials have no way to know the medical history of every person who enters the country. But international AIDS conferences and summits have frequently had to be held outside the US because of the HIV restriction.
For more, read The Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan on why he thinks the policy is "anachronistic and stigmatizing."
Filed under: Activism, United States, News, Travel Health
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
www.plwha.org Nov 1st 2009 4:40AM
More info on http://plwha.org
The President also announced today the elimination of the HIV entry
ban. Since 1987, HIV-positive travelers and immigrants have been
banned from entering or traveling through the United States without a
special waiver. In July 2008, Congress removed all legislative
barriers to repealing the ban and paved the way for HHS to repeal the
ban. A final rule will be published in the Federal Register on
Monday, November 2nd and will take effect in early January 2010.
That means that people who have HIV and are not U.S. citizens will be
able to enter the U.S. starting in January next year. This is a major
step in ending the stigma associated with HIV.
While I have been traveling across the country during the past
several weeks for our HIV/AIDS Community Discussions, I am hearing
from people living with HIV, nurses, case managers, doctors,
community-based service providers, and others about how important the
program is to ensure access to care and treatment. As we continue our
work on developing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, we have many
important lessons from the Ryan White Program for increasing access
to treatment, helping retain people in care, and improving health
outcomes. Addressing the epidemic in the U.S. is a priority for
President Obama, and we are renewing our focus on prevention as well
as treatment.
As we prepare to mark the 20th anniversary of the Ryan White Program
next August, the legacy of Ryan White continues to endure.
More info on http://plwha.org