WASHINGTON: The United States will consider obesity or having children with special needs as reasons to reject immigrant visas, in the latest salvo by President Donald Trump to turn away foreigners.
In a cable sent earlier this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio asks US embassies to factor in conditions including obesity when issuing long-term visas, on the grounds that being obese can “require expensive, long-term care.”
It also asks embassies to assess if any dependents have “disabilities, chronic medical conditions, or other special needs and require care” to the extent that the visa applicant could not work.
The memo was first reported by KFF Health News. Its contents were confirmed to AFP by a person who saw it.
The United States is already one of the most obese countries in the world, tied to factors including the diet and lack of exercise.
Around 40 per cent of the US population is obese, with rates on average higher in states that voted for Trump.
The new guidance will apply for people seeking to immigrate to the United States and not foreigners on routine short-term visits.
The United States has long looked at whether a person would become a “public charge” -- relying on government funds -- before admitting immigrants, including when Americans seek to bring in marriage partners.
