Despite recent legislative changes to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), aliens infected with a “Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection” remain inadmissible into the US, according to the American Bar Association (ABA) that is running a campaign to end this practice since 1989. ABA welcomed and supported the recently announced revisions in INA to remove HIV from the definition of “communicable disease of public health significance,” and to remove references to HIV from the scope of examinations in the relevant regulations. However, the biggest hindrance is that both Health and Human Service (HHS) and Centers for disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regulations continue to mandate that applicants for immigration status be tested for HIV as part of the immigration process.

ABA stated that due to the current restriction on HIV-positive immigrants and travelers is discriminatory and inappropriate given the current medical knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission and infection. Moreover, the ban has put an unnecessary burden on refugees fleeing persecution, and the organizations working to assist them.

For complete information, please click ABA: Remove HIV Travel Ban