Trump, 79, Makes Obesity and Age Grounds for Visa Denial
The Trump administration has ordered visa officers to consider obesity, diabetes, and age as reasons for rejecting visa applicants.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty Images
President Donald Trump has ordered obesity to be considered as a factor in rejecting foreigners applying for U.S. visas as part of his hardline approach to immigration.
The Trump administration issued new orders instructing U.S. embassies and consulates to expand the criteria for rejecting visa applicants, KFF Health News first reported.
The new State Department guidelines direct visa officers to focus on immigrants’ health and consider obesity, diabetes, and other conditions in the application process.
Visa officers are directed to deny entry to applicants who could end up requiring public benefits due to their health conditions or age.
The Trump administration's new directive takes a far stricter line on the federal government’s “public charge” rule, under which immigrants can be denied entry if they are found likely become dependent on government aid.
Mandel Ngan/Getty Images
“You must consider an applicant’s health,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructed in a Nov. 6 cable, that was viewed by Politico Thursday. “Certain medical conditions – including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental health conditions – can require hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of care.”
The policy takes a far stricter line on the federal government’s “public charge” rule, under which immigrants can be denied entry if they are found to likely become dependent on government aid.
Trump himself fell into the obesity category with a weight of 244 pounds during his annual physical in 2020. At his physical in April this year, however, his weight was recorded at 224 pounds, dropping him into the category of overweight.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Roughly 10 percent of the world’s population has diabetes, while 1 in 8 people worldwide were living with obesity in 2022.
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In the U.S., over 40 percent adults have obesity, which is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher.
In 2020, Trump himself fell into the obesity category when his BMI came in at 30.5 at a weight of 244 pounds during his annual physical.
At his physical in April this year, however, the 79-year-old president was recorded as weighing 224 pounds, dropping him into the category of overweight.
Just last week, Trump asked members of his Cabinet if they were on “fat drugs” while announcing his plans to cut costs of GLP-1 medication.
“You taking any of this stuff, Howard?” he asked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “Not yet,” Lutnick replied.
“CMS administrator Mehmet Oz, he doesn’t take it,” Trump said.
“Where’s Steve?” the president then asked. “Head of public relations for the White House. He’s taking it.”
Trump has waged an aggressive campaign to clamp down on both legal and illegal immigration, pushing mass deportations and new restrictions. Last month, he slashed the yearly refugee admissions ceiling from 125,000 to 7,500.
When reached for comment on the new guidelines, the State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott told the Daily Beast, “It’s no secret the Trump Administration is putting the interests of the American people first. This includes enforcing policies that ensure our immigration system is not a burden on the American taxpayer.”
White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told the Daily Beast, “For 100 years, State Department policy has included an authority to deny visa applicants who would pose a financial burden to taxpayers, such as individuals who were seeking publicly-funded health care in the United States and could further drain healthcare resources from American citizens. President Trump’s Administration is finally fully enforcing this policy, and putting Americans first.”
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