Immigrants with obesity, asthma, or other health conditions could face visa rejection under new Trump guidelines

In a  new directive against immigration, the Trump administration said that foreigners seeking visas to live in the US might be rejected if they have certain medical conditions, including diabetes or obesity.

According to the directive examined by KFF Health News, visa officers are ordered to deem applicants ineligible to enter the US for several new reasons, including age or the likelihood they might rely on public benefits.

The guidance says that such people could become a “public charge”, a potential drain on US resources because of their health issues or age.

Experts noted that while health assessments have long been part of the visa process — including checks for communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and verification of vaccination records — the new guidelines significantly broaden the range of medical conditions under review and grant visa officers greater discretion to make immigration decisions based on an applicant’s health status.

The KFF Health News reported that the directive is part of the broader campaign of the Trump administration to deport immigrants living without authorisation in the US and dissuade others from immigrating into the country.

“You must consider an applicant’s health,” the cable reads. “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 also urges visa officers to take into account other health conditions, such as obesity, which can lead to asthma, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure, when evaluating whether an immigrant might become a public charge and thus be denied entry to the US.