If you are planning to apply for a visa in the U.S., you’d better be in good shape.
The Trump administration has expanded visa rules to allow denial of entry to immigrants with chronic health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity.
Listen to this report.
For anyone who prioritizes making America great, this is a common-sense move. You want to prioritize healthy immigrants who will not become a drain on an already strained healthcare system, and you want to deny visas to those who would further burden it.
While we are talking about immigration, I also think the U.S. should prioritize Wealthy immigrants — those with, say, a net worth of $5 million or more, they inject spending, investment, and entrepreneurship into the economy, even if they are older or no longer part of the workforce. Many other developed nations actively court high-net-worth individuals.
I also think the U.S. should prioritize applicants with strong academic backgrounds, especially in science, engineering, and other high-impact fields, directly supports economic growth and innovation. Not all degrees contribute equally to national competitiveness, and immigration policy should reflect that reality.
Now, coming back to denying visas to people with health problems: this is not something new. Other countries such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand already do this. The U.S. is merely catching up.
Another controversial element is that the rule allows officers to consider the health of children, elderly parents, and other dependents.
Again, this mirrors long-standing practices in other countries. If the U.S. takes in a family, it also takes on the likely financial risk profile of that family.
A country that ignores this is not compassionate — it’s financially reckless. With healthcare being one of the highest expenses for most Americans, we don’t want to make it even more expensive by adding further strain.
I believe that a very sensible philosophy is that immigration should benefit the country, not burden it.
What’s your opinion? Does this make sense to you. Should immigration should be reserved for those who are healthy or should the U.S. accept people who will be a drain in the health system.
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