New Trump Rule Requires U.S. Officials To Weigh Pregnant Visa Applicants ’ Medical Needs

The Trump administration issued a new rule on Thursday instructing United States consular officials to deny pregnant women visas unless they can prove “to the satisfaction of the consular officer” either that they are not traveling to the U.S. to give birth, or that they have a legitimate medical reason to give birth in the country. The administration says the new provision is an attempt to cut down on what’s known as “birth tourism,” or when women come to the U.S. specifically to give birth so that their children gain American citizenship. But critics say the new rule may be deeply flawed. One problem is that it relies on U.S. consular officials, who likely have no medical training, to review the evidence pregnant women provide and determine whether they have a legitimate medical reason to give birth in the U.S. “The fact that they’re trying to charge immigration officers, who have no medical background, with adjudicating people’s pregnancies” is very concerning, says Carolyn Sufrin, a doctor and a fellow with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. If a consular officer believes the visa applicant could receive similar treatment in her home country, or in a country that’s geographically closer to the U.S., he or she may deny the woman’s application. If that happens, the woman can’t appeal the decision, explains Leon Fresco, an immigration attorney who was the primary drafter of the S...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Donald Trump Immigration onetime Pregnancy Women's Health Source Type: news