For Immediate Release
December 6, 2006
|
Media Contact:
Noel Alicea
GMHC 212.367.1216
Adam Francouer
Immigration Equality 212.714.2904
|
President's Order Does Not
Rescind HIV Travel Ban
Gay Men's Health Crisis and Immigration Equality call for more details
on how new rule would differ from existing policy
Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) and Immigration Equality issued
a joint statement today asking for further details on President
Bush's direction to the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security
to "initiate a rulemaking that would propose a categorical waiver"
for HIV-positive travelers to the United States.
The U.S. has barred HIV-positive travelers and prospective
immigrants from entering the country since 1987, a policy that
was codified by an act of Congress in 1993. Waivers for short-term
visits are available for HIV-positive travelers, but are not easy
to come by. It is unclear how the waiver mentioned by President
Bush would differ from current discretionary waivers under the
authority of the Department of Justice.
"There's been a lot of speculation but not much specificity
about the White House announcement," said Dr. Nancy Ordover, Assistant
Director of Research and Federal Affairs at GMHC. "We don't know
what it does but we know what it doesn't do: it doesn't rescind
an unjustifiable travel ban on people with HIV, it doesn't remove
HIV as grounds for inadmissibility to the United States, and as
far as we know, it does not stop the practice of stamping people's
passports with an indicator of their HIV status."
Adam Francoeur, Policy Coordinator for Immigration Equality,
urged the LGBT and HIV/AIDS communities to be cautious about
praising the announcement. "We don't know enough, except that
it doesn't go far enough. We encourage the administration to
release the full details of the proposal sooner rather than later."
The two organizations say they are looking forward to seeing
the actual rule when it is released for public comment. "At that
point we'll know what we're dealing with," said Francoeur.
Both GMHC and Immigration Equality stress that much more needs
to be done. "HIV and AIDS must be removed as grounds for inadmissibility
to the U.S.," says Ordover. "Twenty years of an indefensible and inhumane
policy is enough."
* * *
Immigration Equality is a national organization that works to end
discrimination in U.S. immigration law, to reduce the negative impact
of that law on the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
HIV-positive people, and to help obtain asylum for those persecuted
in their home country based on their sexual orientation, transgender
identity or HIV-status. Through education, outreach, advocacy, and the
maintenance of a nationwide network of resources, we provide information
and support to advocates, attorneys, politicians and those who are
threatened by persecution or the discriminatory impact of the law.
Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) is a not-for-profit, volunteer-supported
and community-based organization committed to national leadership in the
fight against AIDS. Our mission is to reduce the spread of HIV disease,
help people with HIV maintain and improve their health and independence,
and keep the prevention, treatment and cure of HIV an urgent national and
local priority. In fulfilling this mission, we will remain true to our
heritage by fighting homophobia and affirming the individual dignity of
all gay men and lesbians. We provide services and programs to over
15,000 men, women and families that are living with or affected by
HIV/AIDS in New York City. For more information, please visit www.gmhc.org.
© 2006 Gay Men's Health Crisis
|
home 
