Revoking the HIV Travel Ban

The U.S. Senate recently voted to repeal the law barring HIV-infected visitors and immigrants from the country.

Since 1987, there has been a travel ban prohibiting U.S. entry by HIV-positive foreign nationals, unless they obtained a special waiver allowing short-term visits only. The ban also prevented most foreign nationals with HIV infection from legally obtaining permanent U.S residency.

As imagined, the numerous human rights organizations were never happy with this legislation and seem thrilled with the passage of the amendment.

This recent amendment was tacked on by the Senate while they were reauthorizing the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) bill. It will now go to a conference committee before being sent to President Bush for approval.

The original ban was called "ineffective, unnecessary, and simply bad public health policy....The Senate's change is welcome, and long overdue."

Part of the reason for the original ban was because treatment for HIV was much more readily accessible in the United States and people were attempting to come for that sole purpose placing an even greater strain on our healthcare system.

It should pass without much controversy in 2008.