Did you know - HIV + Foreign People Barred Entry into USA?!?!

[Ioo]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/po/20060815/co_po/usurgedtoendbanonhivpositivetravelers

...

Since 1987 HIV-positive foreign nationals have been banned from entering or transiting through the United States. Those already living in the United States have been barred from most types of legal status. As a result, they are ineligible for most public health benefits and at risk for deportation to their countries of origin, except in limited circumstances.

Lift the Bar maintains that U.S. adherence to the travel ban and immigration bar, in defiance of medical knowledge and humanitarian concerns, demonstrates a disturbing commitment to preserving discriminatory practices.

...

[xmas74]

1. Wasn't that some of the problem w/ the Haitian

refugees? Seems like they were denying some of them because of HIV status.

[pagerbear]

2. I've known people who got their positive diagnoses from INS

One was a conductor who was coming to the US for a gig on a temporary work visa, but it was denied because of his diagnosis. He learned he was positive from the INS. Can you imagine how sensitive they were to his needs?

[Ioo]

3. That would crush people.

[sui generis]

4. why not also ban herpes, HPV, chlamydia, clinical depression,

hawaiian shirts, jock itch, factor V and VIII thrombo mutations, cleft palates, male pattern baldness, and Very Small Penis Size.

Could you imagine what America would do if Europe suddenly declared that anyone who has ever been treated for any form of sexually transmitted ailment couldn't even transit through there? Absolutely nobody requiring treatment with a psychotropic of any form, including narcotics, anti-anxiety, anti-depressants, allergy medication and sleep aids. No premature ejaculators allowed. No vienna sausages. I think they should do it just for form's sake.

[3dman]

5. There have always been restrictions

on people with communicable diseases immigrating to the U.S.

HIV shouldn't be any different.

[Ioo]

6. Communicable - Again, why no ban on the Clap - Herps - Many more..

I think that to say AIDS is communicable but somehow herppies is okay...

[3dman]

7. Herpes won't kill you.

[3dman]

8. And the clap can be cured.

[Ioo]

9. Not True... It has been linked to Cancer in Gals, Also argument that AIDS

will not kill you with proper managment.

Again, not sure what the reason is, it is not like you are tring to keep it out of the nation.

[Ioo]

10. The Point of the Restrictions is to stop the spread... HIV is here...

The reason you would want to manage this is to keep a disease out of the population. Like say BIRD FLU. This is not the case, HIV is here in the US, so to bar people from entry is silly because you are not protecting anyone...

[China_cat]

11. Our nephew, who has one of the dystrophic

conditions is barred from visiting us here. The reason given was that he was likely to stay and try to use our medical resources. (Same reason they use to ban anyone disabled from entering the US)

Like he'd really do that coming from a country where not only is his medical care good and paid for but so is his wheelchair, the powerlifts in his home, a medical attendant, the power doors and the van to transport him.

[Ioo]

12. WOW - And Yet Saudi Princes Come to Mayo Clinic all the time.