[ updated: see below ]

The following press release, from the folks at Immigration Equality, arrived a few minutes ago. For decades, despite sound contrary medical information, US immigration law has classed HIV infection as a “communicable disease of public health significance.” That means individuals who are HIV-positive are not allowed to enter the US, obtain a “green card” without a special waiver that required a non-refundable fee of $545.00, and HIV-positive people, who otherwise qualify for permanent residence but who fail to apply for a special waiver, are routinely denied residency and are deported. This makes the possibility that President Obama could once and for all end this absurd ban terrific and very welcome news both for the HIV/AIDS and LGBT communities.

White House to Announce End of HIV Travel & Immigration Ban
“Now, Families Can Be Reunited,” Says Immigration Equality

Washington, DC – Immigration Equality has learned that President Obama will announce the final repeal of the HIV Travel and Immigration Ban, which prohibits people living with HIV from traveling or immigrating to the United States, during a White House ceremony later today. The ban, which has been in effect since 1987, will end following a 60-day waiting period.

“At long last, people living with HIV will no longer be pointlessly barred from this country,” said Rachel B. Tiven, executive director of Immigration Equality. “We are proud to have been part of a tremendous coalition, including Senator John Kerry, former Senator Gordon Smith, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who have worked tirelessly to repeal this ban. Every day, Immigration Equality hears from individuals and families who have been separated because of the ban, with no benefit to the public health. Now, those families can be reunited, and the United States can put its mouth where its money is: ending the stigma that perpetuates HIV transmission, supporting science, and welcoming those who seek to build a life in this country. Today’s announcement is proof that immigration laws that separate families and stigmatize communities are always destined to fail.”

In addition to prohibiting entry for HIV-positive individuals, the ban also meant the United States has been unable to host prestigious scientific conferences on HIV/AIDS. Repeal of the ban follows passage of legislation signed by former President George W. Bush and regulatory changes made by the Obama administration.

“Today a discriminatory travel and immigration ban has gone the way of the dinosaur and we’re glad it’s finally extinct,” Senator John Kerry (D-MA) said. “It sure took too long to get here. We’ve now removed one more hurdle in our fight against AIDS, and it’s long overdue for people living with HIV who battle against stigma and bigotry day in and day out.”

Immigration Equality attorneys say they expect a large volume of calls and emails from individuals impacted by the ban. The organization is offering free and confidential legal counsel to those with questions, who can call (212) 714-2904 for more information.

More details on the ban, and its repeal, are online at www.immigrationequality.org.

The HIV travel & immigration ban is only one of many issues facing LGBT Americans and their foreign-born partners. For details and information about the ban, in English and Spanish, visit Immigration Equality, or follow the group’s blog for up-to-the-minute information.

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UPDATE (30 October 10:15 am):

It’s now official.

From The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force:

Task Force: Lifting HIV travel ban will finally end ‘federally sanctioned stigma’

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 — President Barack Obama today announced that the long-standing ban on travel and immigration to the United States by HIV-positive individuals will end in just over 60 days. The lifting of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ban will remove HIV from the list of “communicable diseases of public health significance.” Previously, people living with HIV and AIDS were not allowed to enter the U.S. and non-citizens with HIV who are living in the U.S. could not stay.

The Task Force signed onto a letter circulated by Immigration Equality to lift the HIV ban sent during the public comment period on this regulatory change. The Task Force is also supporting the efforts of Immigration Equality and other partner organizations to promote these changes via the also New Beginnings initiative, a collaboration of expert organizations, coordinated by the Task Force, pushing for concrete federal administration policy and regulatory changes directly benefiting the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and eliminating discrimination from federal policies.

The Task Force’s Executive Director, Rea Carey, said, “The lifting of the HIV travel ban will remove a federally sanctioned stigma and sends a strong, clear message that the United States is working to end discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS. Since HIV was the only disease singled out for exclusion by an act of Congress, the ban undermined U.S. efforts to fight the HIV pandemic. We applaud the approaching end of a discriminatory practice that stigmatized those living with HIV and AIDS. It is long past time to create a fair, humane and sensible HIV immigration policy.”

In the Human Rights Campaign’s release, President Joe Solmonese said, “We thank the President for taking these tremendous steps today on behalf of people with HIV and AIDS. Today’s actions signal both to Americans and to the world that the United States is a nation that will care for those most in need at home and will no longer close the door to HIV-positive people abroad. Today, President Obama has extended one of our nation’s proudest responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and finally erased on our of most shameful.”

Tags: AIDS, Immigration, Queer Culture, Queer Rights

This entry was posted on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 8:27 am and is filed under People, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.