The Trump administration is introducing new rules that could deny visas to foreigners with chronic conditions, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and mental health issues.
According to KFF Health News, the State Department is instructing visa officers to consider such applicants as a “potential burden on the government” if their treatment would require significant expenses.
Moreover, the assessment will now take into account not only the health of the applicant but also that of their family.
Lawyers warn that the new regulations effectively grant visa officers discretion, allowing them to deny applications based on assumptions about an applicant’s future health.
