US visa policy under scrutiny after leaked Trump directive.
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A leaked document from the US State Department has revealed a controversial new immigration policy under Donald Trump’s administration – one that could see overweight foreigners denied visas to enter the country.
According to the directive, consular officers are now being asked to consider obesity as a medical condition that could make visa applicants ‘inadmissible’ if their long-term healthcare might become a financial burden on the United States.
The leak, which has already caused international backlash, comes as part of Trump’s renewed push to tighten immigration laws since returning to the White House.
Obesity listed among “costly” medical conditions
The State Department memo lists obesity alongside a long list of medical concerns – including diabetes, cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and certain mental health conditions.
It instructs officials to ask whether a visa applicant has the financial resources to cover the potential cost of their medical care “for their entire expected lifespan” without relying on government assistance.
Health experts say this approach could unfairly penalise millions of people. Obesity, they note, is often linked to conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure and sleep apnoea — all of which can require expensive treatments.
Critics have blasted the directive as discriminatory and unscientific, arguing that it effectively judges a person’s worth by their weight.
But the White House defends the move. Trump spokesman Tommy Pigott told The Daily Mail: “It’s no secret the Trump administration is putting the interests of the American people first. This includes enforcing policies that ensure our immigration system is not a burden on the American taxpayer.”
Part of a wider immigration crackdown
The new guidance applies only to immigrant visas – those seeking permanent residence – and not to short-term visitor visas.
Still, it fits neatly into Trump’s wider immigration agenda. Since returning to office, he has rolled out a series of hardline measures, from raising work visa fees to $100,000 per year to reinstating sweeping travel bans.
The $100,000 charge applies to companies sponsoring H-1B visas, which are typically used to bring highly skilled workers to the US. Trump says the move ensures “only the best and most committed people” come to America. Critics, however, warn that it could push away the very talent the US economy depends on.
Adding to the controversy, a new “gold card” visa scheme will fast-track residency for wealthy foreigners willing to make what the government calls a “significant financial gift” to the US. Up to 80,000 of these elite visas are expected to be issued annually.
The administration insists that these policies are about safety, not discrimination. “We’re constantly reassessing our visa system to ensure foreign nationals follow our laws and don’t become a burden on taxpayers,” a senior State Department official said.
Backlash grows over “medical discrimination”
Human rights groups and public health experts have condemned the “obesity visa rule” as one of the most extreme immigration proposals ever introduced by a US administration.
“This kind of policy reduces people to a medical label,” one immigration rights lawyer said. “It ignores the complex social and genetic factors behind obesity and treats health as a moral failing.”
Medical experts also questioned whether such measures would have any measurable impact on the US healthcare system, calling the link between immigration and long-term medical costs “grossly exaggerated.”
With Trump back in office and tightening immigration once again, the world is watching closely to see whether this new “obesity visa rule” will stand – or if global backlash will force another reversal.
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