The Trump administration is directing U.S. consulates to consider obesity and other health conditions when granting visas.
President Trump has ordered U.S. visa officers to deny entry to immigrants who are obese or have certain medical conditions, The New Republic reports.
A Thursday directive sent to embassies and consulates worldwide states that applicants’ health must be evaluated, noting that “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 guidance specifically mentions obesity, linking it to asthma, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure.
“All of these can require expensive, long-term care,” the cable reads. “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?”
Immigration lawyer Sophia Genovese told the Los Angeles Times, “Taking into consideration one’s diabetic history or heart health history—that’s quite expansive… If this change is going to happen immediately, that’s obviously going to cause a myriad of issues when people are going into their consular interviews.”
The announcement comes a day after Trump unveiled a deal to lower the cost of weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Zepbound to around $150 per month.